Wraith Games
by Draco-Stellaris
Summary: Romance on a hiveship. Contains Wraith, an apprentice worshipper and a rudimentary plot to bridge the gaps in between the romance bits, don't say I didn't warn you. Mature Content / Not suitable for Lanteans or other people who don't like Wraith
1. A Life Ends

Yesterday the world had been sunny and beautiful, she had enjoyed spending the day with her friends down by the lake, catching fish. They had laughed and told each other jokes. But then evening came and it brought the shrill whining of Wraith darts. All she remembered now was the panic, people running away, screaming, chaos; she had never been so frightened in all her life, then, there was a blinding white light and – nothingness.

When reality came back it crashed down on her senses with brutal force. "This one too." She was grabbed with unnecessary harshness and was hurled into a huddle of people, all of them as wide-eyed as herself. Her consciousness still numb she looked around and found that she was in a cell of some kind with walls which seemed to be made from living tissue, the lighting was gloomy. She focused on the other people, trying to discern one face from another, thinking dizzily to herself _Do I know you? Where are my parents? My friends? _

She didn't recognise any of them. Most of them just stared at the floor, not taking in anything. Some of them cried silently and tried to open the cell door by clinging to it. As if in response to their feeble attempts the door split open, its spidery bars disappearing to the sides and sending the prisoners staggering backwards in surprise. Then a tall, elegant creature strode in, accompanied by two others of its kind. The leader wore a long, black coat and his white hair hung in dreadlocks around his face. The other two were burly and wore armour and strange appalling masks, they didn't have the slender grace of their superior.

She had never seen a Wraith before and – heck, she could easily have done without seeing one for the rest of her life. Then it dawned on her that now the actual rest of her life was at stake and she tried to hide inconspicuously behind a tall man. For a moment the Wraith did nothing, they just stood in the entrance, motionless. The male had clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the assembled humans with an air of mild contempt. Then he barked at the humans "Form a line!" When no one moved he nodded at the warriors who came forward and nudged and shoved the humans into formation.

Not wanting to be touched by one of the brutes she stepped forward voluntarily and came to stand between a savage-looking woman and the tall man she had tried to hide behind. When the hubbub had settled down the male Wraith announced in a bored voice "You have been selected for your pleasing appearance or your apparent strength and resilience. You are offered the chance not only to keep your insignificant lives but also to lead those lives longer than natural for your species – if you please your masters. You will be tested if you meet the requested standard for intelligence and wit. If you disappoint you will return here, to the supply chambers." Having said that the male started walking along the line of humans, looking each one in the eyes.

On unspoken commands the warriors started to pick several people out of the formation the male had just passed by. Silent sobbing and crying started, nervous glances were shot left and right. She supposed that it was unwise to start to cry and bit her lip, forcing her own tears back with all willpower. The Wraith stopped in front of her, his eerie yellow eyes boring a hole into her mind. She felt a strange presence inside her head. Old, indifferent to her fear. She was being tested, her thoughts and emotions were being torn apart and scrutinised by the relentless yellow gaze. The presence examined the memories of her home, her family, her upbringing, her happiest and saddest moments. She felt naked and exposed and nearly broke down when she felt the presence drag up yet another memory, a memory she had almost forgotten. _She was a child and was sitting at the shore of the lake, her father by her side. They were watching a swan and its fledglings... No_, she thought. _This is my memory and you're not allowed further in._ Defiance took over her mind, ignoring common sense and she felt the presence withdraw itself. The Wraith continued to walk along the line and left her in uncertainty. He stopped before the savage-looking woman next to her and asked that woman aloud "Are you willing to serve us in whatever way we think appropriate?" The woman glowered at the Wraith and spat "Never. I'd rather die."

The Wraith nodded once. "Consider yourself lucky, your wish will be granted."  
Faster than lightning he drew his right arm back and brought his hand down with bone-breaking force on the woman's chest.

She watched transfixed with horror as the proud, strong woman screamed and withered before her eyes, became a crumpled husk and dropped to the floor. She realised that the Wraith had his eyes on her again and looked up to meet his gaze. She heard his words inside her mind as if he had spoken them aloud "This is what happens to you if you become too defiant, apprentice worshipper."

A clumsy grip closed on her arm and she was thrown forward by one of the warriors. Utter chaos was raging inside her. She was going to live to see another day. But at what cost? Was she lucky or did she just choose a fate worse than death? Through a haze of adrenaline she felt two more would-be worshippers being thrown at her side. Without another word the male Wraith left the cell and the two warriors herded her out along with the rest of the selected humans. She didn't look back, she closed her mind to the sobbing, begging and cursing of those who were left behind. Instead she focused on the precious memory the Wraith had tried to pry away from her. She conjured up the mental image of the lake, the one constant in the life of her people.

_Its surface is serenely calm on this afternoon, the sun descends and gives it the colour of molten gold. Her father sits beside her, they both have stuck their bare feet into the cool water. A swan paddles by, followed by its three fledglings. Their plumage has already begun to turn white. The adult swan accelerates and flaps its wings to become airborne. Two younglings follow effortlessly while the third struggles, beating its wings ineffectively. _

_"Poor thing," she says to her father. "It will die if it doesn't learn to fly." _

_"Don't worry about it, it's strong and has the will to survive. It will fly when its time has come," her father tells her calmly. And sure enough, the young swan accelerates once more and this time it leaves gravity behind to explore its hitherto unknown realm, the skies. Her father points at the disappearing dots in the sky. _

_"See? One day your time will come and then you will be ready to fly." _

That day part of her soul had taken flight with the young swan, eager to explore the unknown. It seemed she would get much more of the unknown than she had bargained for.


	2. A Life Begins

Her new life as a worshipper began in a pleasantly unspectacular manner. She got her own bunk in the worshippers' dormitory and got a set of new clothes which were plain and practical, suitable for work.

She soon figured out that there were different kinds of worshippers with different tasks. First there was her own kind. Worshippers like herself wore the plain clothes and were assigned with doing the domestic chores for the human community like washing, cleaning up or preparing food. They not only cleaned up the worshippers' quarters though, they occasionally got called to clean up other parts of the gigantic hiveship as well. Wraith apparently disliked to scrub floors and there was a running joke among the worshippers that not even the Wraith drones liked to get their green hands dirty, even though the drones normally did all other unpleasant chores outside the worshippers' quarters.

Another kind of worshipper wore elegant and revealing clothes. Those men and women were usually beautiful and well-groomed. Their task was to satisfy the physical needs of their masters. Very few of those worshippers appeared to be content with their life, some of them wore a constantly haunted look on their faces and others seemed to be completely indifferent to anything, some even used drugs to numb themselves for the world they lived in.

A third kind of worshipper was allowed to wear whatever clothes they seemed fit, those were the spies who risked their lives on planetary missions to gather intel. They were a proud and rough lot. Only the toughest humans were accepted for these tasks, sometimes they were even forced into service by means she didn't want to think about.

Then there were the personal worshippers, humans who had managed to endear themselves to one Wraith in particular. The Wraith would then claim that special human for himself only. Some of those worshippers were even allowed to pursue their own pastimes at leisure.

She sighed. She hadn't expected this society to be so complex. She was surrounded by humans from all corners of the galaxy who were all in varying degrees of happiness or misery. _Now I somehow have to find a niche for myself, then life won't be too bad_. She smiled at herself at how comfortable she had gotten on the ship. She had actually made some friends with who she chatted about their culture and their homeworlds in the evenings.

Another gloriously uneventful day was working its way to noon when she walked towards her new task; cleaning up in a part of the ship she'd never been in before. On her way she politely ignored the Wraith who passed her by. Most of them ignored her too and didn't even glance at her but there were some Wraith who liked to intimidate worshippers and glared and snarled at her. In those situations she simply kept her head down and walked past as fast as wasn't yet running away. Running away from a Wraith would be any worshippers' death sentence, that much she had learned.

It took her some time to find the room she was supposed to clean up, she got lost in the labyrinthine corridors. She hoped no one would notice that she was late but she was in for an unpleasant surprise. The room wasn't empty. A single male Wraith stood there, observing a hologram of a solar system which turned around slowly in air in the middle of the room. She hadn't seen a hologram before and froze, looking in childlike wonder at the silently floating stars and planets. A low, smooth voice startled her out of her reverie.

"You are late." Nearly dropping her cleaning gear she turned and looked at the Wraith for a shocked second, then survival instinct kicked in and made her lower her head and rummage in her mind for something to say. No apologising, that would come close to pleading, pleading being a lethal weakness on board a hiveship. She could try charming such as "You see that the magnificence of your technology makes me stand in awe and forget the time". She had seen some of the fanatic religious worshippers get away with such a blatant slime but it always depended on the mood of the Wraith receiving it. She decided to offer compensation instead.

"Then I will clean up in half the time it would normally take," she said keeping her voice as calm as possible. She dared to lift her head again and saw him nod once. He said "Proceed," then he turned his attention to the hologram again.

She instantly found the mess she had to clean up, a large puddle of blood covered the floor. Wrinkling her nose and suppressing the urge to throw up she set to work. Apparently a hierarchy fight had taken place here. She was glad that there was no body, the drones usually disposed of those.

During her work she became aware that she was being watched, the Wraith observed her every move with an attentive yet neutral expression. It made her uneasy to think he could be looking for sloppy work, it never crossed her mind that he could have other intentions.

She did indeed finish the job in half the time and was eager to leave the room. but when she got up from the floor for the final time she found herself face to face with the Wraith. _Darn, these guys can move fast, _she thought startled. He was one head taller than herself and now that he was so close she could see several thin braids in his long, smooth hair. He had a small, unobstrusive tattoo on his beardless chin. She could even smell him, an odd mixture of scents, bitter-sweet and wild, neither appealing nor unpleasant. He looked at her calmly and she felt his mind brush against hers swiftly, not probing, just superficially scanning her.

"You will come to my quarters this evening, one hour after the change of shifts. Wash yourself thoroughly, you smell of blood," he told her. Then he turned around and left her standing by the entrance. Dumbstruck she made to leave but then remembered something important. She asked him "Where are your quarters?"

"A drone will come to lead you the way and to make sure that you do not get lost and come too late. Because it would be a shame if you were late, there will be no possibility for you to finish your work in half the time," he said without looking up.

The holographic display changed to show another solar system, equally beautiful as the first one but this time she didn't allow herself to indulge in its beauty. She left the room with an uneasy feeling, not sure what to expect. She avoided looking at anyone on her way back to the worshippers' quarters, Wraith and humans alike. She was deep in thought.

She hadn't had such close contact with a Wraith since the day she came here and once more she became aware of the casualness with which she was being ordered about, as if she were a mindless thing without a will of her own. She could even be killed with the same indifference and it wouldn't matter to anyone.

She remembered her former life. She missed her familiy and her friends, and she missed her home. She wanted to be back by the lake, to take out her sketchbook and pencils and try to grasp the beauty of her surroundings. To capture the fleeting grace of a deer or the slow grandeur of a swan floating on the lake, its reclection being mirrored by the surface of the water. She was able to catch all these impressions with a casual flick of her pencils and brushes and she missed it – no, she craved it. Sometimes she was so homesick that she was sure she would die of it. Her days were no longer peacefully but dangerous, but yet, she realised that she was feeling very much alive now, like she never had before. Would she live to see another day? She didn't know. But she would be damned if she didn't do her very best to survive.


	3. A New Task

"I wonder what state his quarters are in that he wishes me to clean them up. I always thought they wouldn't let anyone in there besides personal worshippers. But who knows, he could be a Wraith slob," she said while scrubbing the gore off her arms. Next to her the dark-skinned woman she had come to know as Sarali stopped in mid-motion while brushing her hair. She scowled at Sarali.

"What is it now?" she demanded. Sarali took on a sombre expression and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Child, he ordered you to wash yourself and come to his quarters, tonight, alone. Use your imagination, he sure won't ask you to clean his floor."

Realisation dawned on her but she still shook her head in disbelief.

"No way, I wasn't picked for beauty, I'm not one of _those_ worshippers." Her stomach curled up in a cold, tight knot. Could she really have been that blind? She had gotten so used to being ignored, to be a cleaner, to be considered unworthy of a second glance. Now she was afraid, she certainly didn't want to get that close to any Wraith, she had heard the brutal stories which some of _the other_ worshippers told. She didn't want to become one of those hollow-eyed wretches.

She dressed in her oldest and plainest clothes and did her best to look mind-blowingly boring as a drone appeared and motioned to her to follow.

The way seemed to go on forever, she was taking one step after the other but didn't seem to make any progress. She would be following this drone through the corridors of the ship for the rest of eternity. Then the drone stopped so abruptly that she nearly bumped into it. It made way for her to enter a room, the door closed behind her and she was alone in the gloomy chamber. To keep her mind distracted from going mad with anxiety she took in her surroundings. The room was big but sparsely furnished. Ahead of her was a window, looking out at the coloured blurs of hyperspace. Underneath the window was a large bed. The only other piece of furniture was a desk with a computer terminal.

She stepped closer to the window. Suddenly she felt the slightest movement of air brush against her skin and the low voice she now knew said close to her ear "I remember telling you to wash yet you still smell of blood."

She jumped and spun around, without thinking she exclaimed "You just scared the life out of me!" Realising what she had just said she stood still, wide-eyed and looked at the Wraith. _So, that's it then_, she thought. _I'm going to die now_.

The Wraith's expression was, as always, unreadable but then he started to smile, a slow, creepy smile, showing his many pointed teeth.

"How long have you been here?" he asked.

Still nervous and eyeing him warily she replied "I've been here for three weeks and a half now."

He started to pace around her in a circle and said "I assumed as much. You are still new and impressionable".

It made her want to run away but she was rooted to the spot. Her mind began to race, she didn't recall seeing anything she could use as a weapon, but then, it wouldn't matter anyway because he was much faster and stronger than her and probably heard her thoughts even now. He had completed the circle and and was again standing in front of her, wearing his calm expression and looked at her through half-closed eyes.

"Have you ever mated yet?" he asked, almost purring. Swallowing, she held her chin up in what she hoped was a proud manner and replied "I have, but I don't know why that should matter. I'm sure I'd be perfectly qualified to clean your room without that kind of experience." _Not that your room looks as if it needed cleaning_, she finished the sentence in her head bitterly. He smiled again.

"Sometimes you humans are amusingly dumb. You show denial and recklessness in the face of obvious danger." He chuckled; it was a dry, hissing sound. He raised his left hand up to her face and traced her cheekbone and her chin with one finger. She wanted to bite his hand and run away – but wait, maybe that was exactly what he was aiming for all along. A nice, refreshing predator/prey fight before he did whatever he wanted with her? _Nope, I'm going to disappoint you on that one. _

He put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Something in her brain went _click_ and she panicked. _Okay, forget it, I won't disappoint you after all. _Flailing her arms she staggered backwards, stopping as she felt a wall against her back. He remained where he was, apparantly not surprised at all. His lack of activity – especially the lack of charging at her and clawing the clothes off her – made her let her guard down a bit.

He held up his hands in a non-threatening gesture and she got an unwelcome view of the feeding slit in his right palm. He said in a matter-of-fact voice "Listen, I will only tell you this once. Until now I have been very patient but you need to comprehend that I will have you whether you like it or not. You will have heard stories about the cruelty of some of my brothers but I assure you that I do not indulge in unnecessary violence." He took a step closer and continued "I prefer worshippers to be cooperative rather than scared." He looked into her eyes.

The voice of her common sense screamed inside her head _You can't trust him!_

The voice of her subconsciousness replied _Do as he says and you will survive_.

The first voice exclaimed _And if you do as he says, and just assuming that he lets you live and will not harm you, can you still look into a mirror without losing your self-respect?_

_Self-respect is worth nothing to a dead worshipper. _

_What if he's lying? What if he is going to hurt you?_

The war of her inner voices raged on as he approached her slowly without ever breaking eye-contact.

"Why pick me?" she ventured. "Why not pick one of the specialised worshippers? They're trained and far more beautiful than me," she suggested, thinking these had to be convincing arguments.

He hissed disdainful. "I never make use of those pathetic puppets, they are no better than trained animals whose minds have been broken. They are not alive anymore. But you –" he brought up his hand and touched her hair, "are still alive. I can see the life in your eyes, feel it through the palm of my hand, sweet and seductive."

Shocked she became aware that his right hand was hovering a mere inch above her chest. _How did he manage to get his hand there without me noticing?_ she wondered. His left hand wandered down from her hair to her neck and he took a final step closer, closing the gap between them. She flinched instinctively and started to shiver, still trying to free herself of his touch. "Enough," he said calmly. Without warning a sharp, overwhelming pain flooded through her body. It took her a split-second which felt like eternity to realise that the source of the excruciating pain was her chest which had now his hand firmly attached to it. A feeble scream wanted to leave her mouth but it never got there, it had no energy left. It felt as if she was being torn apart, the pain was so intense and unbearable that her mind shut down and she was no longer able for coherent thinking, reduced to her most basic functions. Then the pain subsided slowly and she felt her thoughts return. _I haven't even energy left to power my pain receptors_. In a detached way she was aware of his presence in her mind, his powerful, joyous roaring filled her every sense. It stopped, the roaring became a low growling and her vision came back.

She saw his yellow eyes, now gleaming and reflecting the light in such a away that they appeared to change colour from vivid amber to deep gold. _So, this is how near-death heightens your senses. And this is the last image I will ever see_, she mused, strangely lucent. _I have failed, I won't live to see another day._ Then she exploded.


	4. Let The Game Begin

_A wave of energy ran through her meridians at unimaginable speed, swiftly seeking to fill every gap in her body. One by one her limbs came back to life and she sucked in air greedily. Along with the life came thoughts and emotions that weren't hers. The Wraith was inside her mind. He didn't intrude on her thoughts, he simply said "Now that your worst fear has come true you have nothing more to fear. You have almost died, now you will finally be able to relax." _

_She felt a serene peace and happiness welling up inside her, she even felt giddy, in folly her mind started to circle the Wraith's consciousness, daring him to catch her. She could feel his amusement, then, faster than the blink of an eye, his mind had caught hers, letting her struggle shortly before setting her free again. _

He is playing with me_, she realised. _It's a game_. _

_Their minds continued their dance, he allowed her to get short glimpses of his thoughts and emotions whenever they made contact. She felt his interest, the interest a cat shows when playing with a mouse. She found she no longer cared that she was the mouse, she took excitement and fun in finding new ways to keep the cat interested in her. Her mind flitted and swirled around his and she felt overjoyed and alive. She came teasingly close and got caught again, his mind embraced hers. For the first time she could feel the sensations which were directly connected to his body, she felt his desire which still needed to be satisfied and she sobered up. It dawned on her that soon her body would be fully restored and she would have to deal with the physical existence of the Wraith who just nearly killed her. _

_Sensing her reluctance his mind wrapped itself around hers, now radiating impatience_. What else do I have to do, human? I am beginning to ask myself if you are worth all this effort. _She felt his growing annoyance but she felt something else, he was telling the truth about his intentions. He didn't want to kill her nor did he want to harm her on purpose. He simply liked to play and he considered her to be physically attractive. He suffered from stress and needed a way to relieve himself of the tension. That was why she was here. Nothing more and nothing less._

The wonderful sensation of life flowing back into her body ebbed away and she felt him withdraw his hand from her chest, leaving her to deal with all the new impressions, the telepathic link was gone and she felt alone all of a sudden. Dizziness made her slump forward, directly into his arms. _Now, that's a mean trick_, she thought confused.

She didn't flinch as his hands began to explore the curves of her body, slowly but firmly. She didn't enjoy it but she didn't fear it anymore. Not knowing what to do with her own hands she placed them lightly on his shoulders. Meaning business he shoved her gently towards the bed, undressing her swiftly on the way. _It would be easier to stop an avalanche than a determined Wraith_, she thought with gallows humour.

His claws were now moving over her bare skin but apparently he took care not to squeeze her too tightly. Although she remained indifferent to his rough caresses he on the other hand seemed to take pleasure, his face was buried in the curve of her neck and his breathing quickened. He undressed himself, using more force than necessary, almost tearing his clothes apart and she got glimpses of swirly black tattoos which covered his torso. Then he was bending over her, making her body arch backwards until she was forced to lie down. She didn't know what to expect and tensed up again instinctively as he lowered his body upon hers.

It hurt, but not as much as she had feared. The after effects of the _gift_ kept her relaxed enough to endure it, but not more. She remained passive, waiting for it to be over. He didn't talk to her and he didn't kiss her nor did he show any sign of affection. She was glad about that, and she was glad that he kept his promise to not handle her too roughly although she could sense that he had to restrain himself, especially as his movements became more urgent. She gasped in surprise as he growled deeply all of a sudden and she felt a sting of pain as he sank his sharp teeth into her neck.

He took some seconds to rest and get his breath back before he rolled over, allowing her to breathe again too.

"You may leave now if you wish," he told her drowsily.

_If you wish..._ Did she wish to leave? _Hell, yes! Leave him, leave this room, leave this whole damned hiveship!_ ... Ah! But there was the problem that she couldn't leave. Where should she go? Her home, her family, her friends, all were gone. Taken from her by the Wraith and she knew she should hate the green demons for what they had done. She should hate herself for what she had become – a slave, a whore – but that was not the way she lead her life.

She had always gotten up again if life had pulled her down and she stuck to that attitude with stubborness_. So, think again, do you want to leave or do you want to take chances with this Wraith?_ She closed her eyes and thought of the telepathic game they had shared. _You like playing games? Me too. I might surprise you._

She summoned up all courage and leant on her elbow, looking at him, waiting for him to give her his full attention. As he looked up at her she announced simply "I will stay".

The slow smile crept over his face again. He had closed one eye and gave the lifelike impression of a cat who has just found a bowl of cream. He moved a hand and the lights went out, probably caused by the motion. She squinted into the darkness but couldn't see anything. Suddenly he was beside her and turned her around so that she ended up with her back curled against his body. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close and whispered in her ear "So be it".

Even after it was obvious that he was asleep she didn't unwrap from his embrace. Instead she concentrated on feeling his warmth, his heartbeat and his breath against her back and she wondered how a being that was so utterly different from a human could feel so familiar. _What kind of game am I playing now? By what rules?_ She kept watching the silent blurs of hyperspace until she drifted into an uneasy sleep.


	5. The New Commander

Eight hours earlier

The day had started as unpleasant as every day in the last two weeks. He had gotten up, washed and dressed himself and left his quarters in a foul mood. Things were getting worse by the day, not only was he faced with an impossible task but he had to prove his value to a new commander to keep his place in the hive's hierarchy.

He entered the map room where a puddle of blood still indicated the place where the new commander had taken over the reign unceremoniously yesterday. The smell of blood made him edgy, it stung in his nose and he hoped someone would soon take care of the mess.

He activated the holographic display and began to search for the pin in the haystack, a solar system which fit a specific description; there were hundreds to look through, even with the computerised filter he had used to reduce the number. He had been looking at these holograms for days now and he was tense and utterly annoyed.

The door opened and a shadowy figure walked in, carrying cleaning gear_. Finally I will be relieved of the stench, that at least has to count for something,_ he thought, not sparing the figure another glance. But then the absence of activity at the blood puddle made him look up again. The worshipper was a young female. She still stood in the entrance and gazed at the hologram in fascination, the warm yellow glow of it illuminated her face. He had seen this reaction before, she had probably never seen a hologram. Some humans of the more primitive civilisations they culled were often terrified by this display of "magic". This human though apparently enjoyed it. Even he, although he had seen too many holograms the last days, had to admit that the sight had a special beauty. But still, there was work to do and he should better remind her of it.

"You are late." He said it as a statement, not as an accusation. He was interested in her reaction, would she feel guilty? Startled she turned to face him and tried to hide her shock quickly. She answered "Then I will clean up in half the time it would normally take."

_Ah_, he thought. _Proper sensible worshipper thinking. No stuttering, no apologising, no attempt at humour. That one seems to learn quickly. _He began to take interest in this distraction. He told her to proceed but instead of concentrating on the solar systems he watched her work. Now that he saw her move about he found her quite attractive. She was tall for a human, and slender, she moved with a subtle grace. Her long, dark hair was tied back in a braid of which several strands had escaped and were now framing her face. It had been a long time since he had indulged in physical pleasures and certain desires woke up in him.

_Maybe it will help me to get rid of the tension if I played with her a bit,_ he mused. Soundlessly he walked over to her. _How will she react? Will she be shocked? Speechless? Scared?_ The right answer, as he found out, was _wary but interested_. Sure, she was startled at first to see him so close but a quick touch of her mind told him that she wasn't scared as such. And she was naïve, very naïve. She took for granted that he wouldn't harm her just because she had done nothing wrong.

An obedient, naïve worshipper without training and experience but yet witty. Even if mating with her should be disappointing she could still have uses. He ordered her to come to his quarters tonight, then he would have the time to take a closer look at her. After he told her that a drone would lead her the way she left the room; by the time she was out of the door he was completely immersed in his task again.

He hissed irritatedly as another Wraith entered the room. _Just what I need, another distraction_. His teeth bared in a snarl he looked up and regained his composure quickly as he recognised the intruder. The new commander was standing in the middle of the hologram, unimpressed by the planets which floated through his body. He was tall, even for a Wraith. He had a delicate tattoo on his forehead which – together with his narrowed yellow eyes – gave him the appearance of a hungry tiger. A small moon zoomed past his left ear and momentarily cast a golden halo on his smooth, well-groomed hair. The commander opened his mouth and said "Report. What have you found by now?"

"Nothing until now. The description was very vague and the informant was–"

"I am not interested in details and subterfuges. You will give me the result in the next three days or you will be removed from your post. Did I make myself clear?"

He bowed slightly before the commander, biting back an urge to kill him. "You did," he grated his teeth and didn't look up until the commander had left the room. Angrily he ploughed his way through a couple of solar systems more before he switched off the computer with a casual wave of his hand and went back to his quarters. Then he remembered that he had something to look forward to, the young worshipper would come to him. He smiled to himself, at least the evening would be entertaining even if the day had been bad until now.


	6. One Of Us

**The next morning**

She woke up as something brushed against her back. _Someone_, she corrected herself, suddenly remembering and instantly alert. Two hands grasped her hips firmly from behind and she felt determined movement in that region. One of the hands left her hip for long enough to brush her hair aside before returning to its previos location and she felt sharp teeth in her neck. _What?_ she thought, partly amused, partly on edge. _Not even a "Good Morning" before?_ Without more preliminaries he pushed his weight against her back and rolled her over on her belly. She braced herself for the pain. It hurt worse this time and she twitched involuntarily, sucking in breath sharply through her teeth. _Damn!_ she thought irritatedly. _Can't you stop, you selfish moron? Either that or hurry up and be done with it! So much for not hurting me on purpose_.

Luckily she didn't have to wait long. A low growl, another bite and it was over. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed. "Leave," he told her casually.

_So, that's it? No "Thank you"? I stay here all night, listening to your snoring and all I get it a "Leave"? _She became angry with herself for becoming angry with him. _Girl, you're losing it. Yesterday you nearly wet yourself with fear and now you're mad at him. From "shaking wreck" to "furious bitch" in eight hours, well done_. Several different emotions began to wage an all-out war inside her. Relief for being able to go, humilitation and shame for being used like this, fury and… disappointment. _Why the hell am I disappointed? What did I expect? A marriage proposal? Come off it. Be glad that you're still in one piece and hit the road. _

Hastily she snatched up her clothes and got dressed. _Boy, I need a shower_. A sideways glance told her that he had gotten up and was walking towards a wall. A panel crawled back to one side and revealed a recess filled with clothes. She didn't linger to see what he picked, she hurried to the door and left the room. Angrily she stomped back to the worshippers' quarters and was glad that she met no one on the way. She was in such a foul mood she could have snarled back at any Wraith.

When she got back to her quarters she found a small crowd in the common room. She saw Sarali standing at the edge and tugged at her sleeve.

"Sarali…"

Sarali frowned at her, then she looked relieved and hugged her quickly. "I was so worried. Is everything alright?"

She shrugged at Sarali. "I'm still alive, I guess that has to count for something."

Sarali opened and closed her mouth hesitantly, then she asked her question. "Did he…?"

Without a word she lifted up the hair from her neck so that Sarali could see the bite marks, then she let her hair fall back into place. Sarali nodded curtly, then she said "I'm here for you if you need a friend. It's so good to see you back, especially in light of recent events."

"Recent events?"

Sarali's expression was sad as she pointed wordlessly at the center of the commotion. She peered over Sarali's shoulder and saw a human figure lying on a sofa. It was a woman and the remains of her torn clothing indicated that she was one of _those_ worshippers. _No, not "one of those"_, she corrected herself bitterly. _Just "one of us", like myself_. The woman's body was covered with scratches and bruises, her eyes were closed and she could have been dead if not for her shallow breathing. Two other worshippers were cleaning her wounds.

Not able to take her eyes off the woman she asked Sarali "What has happened to her?" although she already knew the answer. Sarali narrowed her eyes and spat "Don't ask "what", ask "who". She was the "guest" of the new commander last night. She is badly hurt and we're not sure if she will survive. We have asked for a Wraith to come and gift her with life but none has shown up yet."

She was shocked and felt sorry for the woman but at the same time she was shamefully relieved_. At least my Wraith did treat me well._ The sarcastic voice of her common sense then sneered back _Yeah? When was that? Was it before or after he killed and abused you? _

The noise of approaching footsteps made her look up and she saw a Wraith enter the room. She had never seen him before. He strode towards the injured worshipper, every human hurried a few steps away to make room for him. He looked down on the pitiable woman and he hissed in disgust.

"You called me for this?" Turning around slowly he glared at the assembled humans. "I interrupted my work for this useless creature?"

Tarna, the Mistress of worshippers, stepped forward. "She might not survive if she doesn't get your help," she said, bowing her head. The Wraith glowered at Tarna and snarled "Then let nature take its course. We have no use for feeble worshippers." He turned on the spot and walked out of the room.

Tarna let her head hang in dismay, then she shrugged it off and beckoned two men forward. Together they carried the hurt woman into the dormitory to make her more comfortable and tend to her wounds. The commotion dispersed.

_Charming,_ she thought. _That could have been me_. She shivered and went off to wash away her unpleasant thoughts and memories in a long, hot shower.

She was troubled for the rest of the day. Whenever she came close to the dormitory she heard the moaning and sobbing of the injured woman answered by the soothing, soft voice of Tarna. She found out that the woman's name was Ella.

She worked like mad to keep her mind occupied, to not have to think about Ella's fate. She worked until she felt tiredness fill her limbs like lead and every movement became exhausting. She washed herself again, attacking the imaginary dirt on her skin with force and prepared herself for bed as Rob, a male worshipper she knew, came to her and said "You have been summoned."

She saw a drone standing at the entrance of the dormitory. It pointed at her and motioned her to follow. _No_… She closed her eyes and hoped she had dreamed it all, that the drone would be gone when she opened her eyes again. Yet there it was, still urging her to follow_. Who? Who has sent this drone? Not the commander, please, not the commander._ She prayed to the Mother Of The Lake, like she had learned it as a child, as she was lead away by the drone.


	7. Names

With some relief she recognised the corridors. The drone was taking her to her wraithy friend. _Friend, sure. As friendly as a snarling monster can get. _

This time he didn't scare her as she entered the room. He was standing in plain view in front of the window, his back turned to her. The drone left, the door closed once again and she remained standing in the middle of the room, waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened at all, both remained where they were and he didn't even gave the slightest sign that he had acknowledged her appearing.

_Oh, come on, do something. I'm feeling like a scared idiot here_, she thought impatiently. Finally she walked forward and stopped beside him at the window. She forgot everything that had troubled her and she opened her mouth in awe. A majestic nebula unfolded before her eyes, its glorious brightly-coloured swirls expanding widely in every direction. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen and she wanted to cry. Then she felt his hand on her waist and the magic was gone.

"You have got work to do," her reminded her.

"Work?" She replied and couldn't quite hide the sadness in her voice.

"Undress me," he ordered her. He had said it gently but it was an order nevertheless. Swallowing her tears she opened his heavy leather coat with the same indifference she would have shown to her own clothes. With curt, mechanical movements she took off his bracers – making an effort not to touch his feeding hand – and his coat. When she pulled up his shirt she got a closer look at his tattoos again. The artist inside her couldn't help to admire the intricate patterns, they bore a simple but compelling beauty. Hesitantly she touched his skin and traced the outline of a tatto which covered his chest. She felt observed once again and found that he was looking at her with a strange, distant expression.

Averting her gaze she continued to pull his shirt up, over his head when he returned the favour and began to undress her and pulled her down onto the bed. As she had expected he still handled her roughly and this time she couldn't suppress a whine, she was still sore. He stopped in mid-thrust and she felt him enter her mind. He lingered on her pain shortly then he cut the telepathic link. Shifting his weight onto his left arm he placed his feeding hand on her chest and she twitched nervously.

_No, not again_. But instead of the tormenting pain she felt soothing energy surge into her body, finding her injuries and healing her. She sighed and relaxed and without a word he removed his hand and continued his pursuit of relief and ecstasy. When he was done and had released her from his weight she got up and gathered her clothes.

"You do not wish to stay?" he asked with a tinge of surprise in his voice.

"I assumed I was free to leave," she answered in resignation. He got up and put a hand on her shoulder. "I could order you to stay," he reminded her, showing his pointed teeth on purpose.

"You didn't order me to stay yesterday," she shrugged.

"You are upset," he observed. "Why is that?" He laid both his hands on either side on her still naked waist. "Did I not treat you better than you deserve? Do I have to remind you of your own status instead?" He squeezed hard so that his claws left marks on her skin.

She couldn't hold back the tears of cold fury now. "You don't have to remind me of my status. Your commander reminded every single worshipper on this ship of the Wraith's superiority today."

He let go of her and stepped back. "He is not my commander, he is scum," he snarled. "I know what you are talking about. He has killed a female worshipper, has he not?"

"She's not dead yet but no Wraith will help her." She buttoned up her shirt angrily and turned her back on him.

"She will be just another worshipper who died fulfilling her duties, she is easily replacable," he hissed.

Already standing at the door she swirled around and glared at him. "She isn't just another worshipper. She has a soul and a name. Her name–" she spat "is Ella. And if she is like me, like every worshipper on this ship, that would make me easily replacable too. See? It doesn't really matter if I leave now."

He charged at her with stunning speed, right hand poised to kill her and stopped a mere fraction of an inch in front of her. She wasn't able to move and she found that she didn't even care anymore, she had chosen her fate.

But he did nothing. Finally he lowered his hand and backed away. "Leave," he growled. As she walked out she heard him calling after her. "What are you called, human?"

Looking back over her shoulder she said calmly "My name is Kala." Then she left.


	8. Expectations

_Kala_. Those two syllables had burned themselves into his mind. After she had left he paced to and fro in his quarters, like a caged animal. _She should have stayed._ _She must know that I am offering her the chance to improve her life, why did she leave? What has gone wrong?_ He stopped and gazed out of the window. He had even allowed her the treat of watching the nebula because he knew she would appreciate its beauty. And before he had done nothing as she had entered the room, instead he had waited for her to come to him.

This was the one key to successful worshipper training. _Make them come to you seemingly on their own accord. Leave them but one direction to choose and then let them step forward when _they_ are ready. If you then give them a treat for their right decision they are as good as yours_. This method was very time-consuming but he had found out that it always payed off in the end. You got loyal and motivated worshippers instead of brain-dead enzyme addicts. He still used the hard method though, but usually only on warriors who were too stubborn to be convinced otherwise.

This young female – _Kala_, he told himself, somewhat amused that he bothered to use her name – seemed to be receptive to his training, she had been promising – until she had left in a bad temper. That proved that she had lost her fear of him, at least for a few minutes. This was a crucial moment in the training, now everything depended on her next reaction. Although it was encouraging that she had lost her fear she could not be allowed to lose her respect for him.

Instead she would now have to learn to trust him, otherwise she would never be able to respond to his touch with delight and pleasure. _I can wait. She is smart, she will eventually see that I am the best thing that can happen to her on this ship._ He was looking forward to that day when she would reward his training by giving herself to him on her own accord and by returning pleasure to him.

She had made a small but significant step forward tonight by touching his tattooed chest. He remembered her expression, a kind of absorbed fascination. Her touch had felt good and he had been severely tempted to kiss her but he knew it would have been too early for both of them. For her because she was not ready for this kind of affection and for him because he could not allow himself to grow soft with her.

The memory of touching her soft skin still lingered on his fingertips and he was annoyed by the setback. The relief she had brought him now had a stale taste, he wasn't relaxed anymore. He knew he would not be able to sleep now so instead he sat down at his desk and activated his computer. _I might as well use the time for refining my filter algorithm, I have only two days left for finding the solar system, _he thought irritatedly.

It was essential for the hive to find the system, or, to be more precise, a specific planet where a laboratory was hidden. The reseach which was conducted there by an enemy hive would be very valuable. The problem was that his informant did not have the coordinates but merely a description. _A desert planet, orbited by three moons in a double solar system_. That was all he had gotten before his informant had died.

His thoughts circled around the commander while his fingers touched the computer screen, moving columns of code around and programming in new parameters with a long practised ease.

The Queen was not entirely content, the old commander had been her favourite but she had acknowledged the cunning and ambition of the new, so she had confirmed his status for the time being. _He is far too aggressive, his choleric attitude could bring doom over the hive. It would be better if he was replaced with someone better suited and level-headed._ He loathed the commander for many reasons, thinking of Kala again he mused _And he should not be allowed to kill worshippers at random and just for fun_.

_Kala_, there she was again. _I should not have asked for her name, once you know their names they begin to mean something to you._ Saving his latest addition to the code with a wave of his hand he got up in a bold, determined way. He had made a decision. _Kala is ready for her next test, the one which will decide whether she is worthy to continue the training_. He smiled as he lay down on his bed. After all it felt good to have someone to play with again and he was optimistic that she would pass the test.


	9. The Importance Of Laundry

The next day Kala was assigned to clean up outside the worshippers' quarters again. When she came back she saw a Wraith walk out of the dormitory. It was her Wraith and she quickly hid behind a pillar. He walked past without noticing her and she sighed relieved. Suddenly a hand dropped on her shoulder and she spun around, wide-eyed and saw – Sarali.

"Sarali! What were you thinking of? Scaring me like this."

"Sorry, Kala. Didn't want to. Why were you hiding?" Sarali had the decency to look sheepish, but at the same time couldn't quite hide a mischievous smile.

Kala scowled at Sarali. "The Wraith who just left, what did he want? Did he ask for me?"

Frowning, Sarali answered "He did. Is that... him?"

Kala nodded. "What did he say?"

"He was talking to Tarna when I came in. Tarna sent him over to me since I'm your friend and I have to deliver a message to you from him."

Kala rolled her eyes in impatience. "And? What is the message?" _Probably "come to me tonight so I can kill you". _

Sarali concentrated and announced "I have to tell you this: I will not send a drone this evening."

"And?"

"Nothing and," Sarali replied. "That was all he said."

Kala's mind raced. _What does that mean? Does it mean I don't have to go to him? Or does it simply mean that he expects me to find the way on my own by now? What does he expect me to do? _

Kala and Sarali were disturbed by Tarna who rushed towards them, clapping her hands. "Girls! Hurry up! Enough chat for now, the laundry doesn't happen on its own accord."

All the time while washing, drying and ironing Kala pondered over the mysterious message. _Maybe he's so angry with me that he doesn't want me to come anymore. But if he expects me to come and I don't show up he will get really angry for sure. _

She was so absorbed in her dilemma that she didn't realise she had put a red skirt into the white laundry until every garment showed a light pinkish hue. As Tarna advanced on her like a particularly chubby avenging angel and poured a bucketful of accusations and insults over her head Kala understood. _It's part of his game_. She didn't react to Tarna's reprimand, she just stared into the distance. _If I don't go he'll be disappointed and will lose interest in me, that's the ticket to freedom. _

"... useless, good-for-nothing–" _Freedom?_ her inner voice asked. _You will be free, true. For the taking. _

_But if I go to him he will have won. Nice. I have to cho__ose between a rock and a hard place. _

"... you're not even listening to me! You're hopeless, child. Argh!" Tarna threw up her arms in exasperation and stomped away.

After sorting out the laundry with a tinge of bad conscience Kala went into the dormitory to change her wet clothes for dry, clean ones. She saw Ella sitting upright and sipping a bowl of soup. Hesitantly Kala approached her.

"Good to see you up and about again," she ventured.

Ella shrugged. "Not sure. A Wraith came and healed me. I wonder if it hadn't been better if he didn't. Then I'd be either dead or ugly enough for not having to be a whore any longer." Seeing Kala's insecure expression Ella continued "Don't worry, at least Tarna has promised that she will hide me from the commander, so that's a silver lining." A single tear rolled down Ella's cheek and she quickly wiped it away, smiling unconvincingly brave at Kala. Kala smiled sadly back, then she nodded and left Ella alone.

_How much can a worshipper take before she either breaks or kills herself? _

Kala understood now that it was not only important to survive at all cost but that she had to survive with a life that was worth living. She thought of her Wraith. _As long as I keep playing his game I'm relatively safe. No other Wraith will claim me as long as he does – at least I hope so_. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and noticed that she hadn't buttoned up her shirt all the way, the upper three buttons weren't closed and she was shoving a bit of cleavage and – as she realised now – the scar his feeding hand had left. _Why bother to close the buttons, she thought. He'll open them anyway. Either all the way down or just enough to conveniently kill me._

Sarali gaped at her. "Are you mad? Come on, you're kidding, you're not going to tell me you'll go to him voluntarily? What are you up to?"

"Playing games," Kala shrugged, then she hugged Sarali quickly and left the worshippers' quarters showing more confidence than she actually felt. Inhaling deeply she pulled herself upright and strode along the corridors.

_You still want to play with me? Alright, but I'll adjust the rules a bit._


	10. The Importance Of Orders

Her heart was beating fast as she stopped in front of his door and knocked. After a few seconds the door opened and he stood on the other side, looking at her unsurprised. Then he just turned around and let her stand in the doorway. _Probably expecting me to follow him_, she thought but she didn't move. He watched her expectantly, then he asked "Why do you not enter the room?"

"I didn't think you required me to. In fact, I have only come here to ask you a question if I may."

He straightened up and tilted his head attentively. "You may ask."

"What does your message mean?"

Slowly he smiled his creepy smile again. "You are the first to ask this question in two thousand years."

She didn't respond, she merely waited. He came closer until he stood before her and she had to look up at him. Still smiling he purred "What do you think the message means?"

"Who knows? Maybe it means that you don't make a good officer since no one can understand your orders properly."

For a split-second he looked baffled, then he grinned. He put an arm around her and said "Since you are already here I _order_ you to come in and stay here tonight."

He was marginally gentler with her, at least it seemed so to her. _Or maybe I'm simply becoming used to it_, she thought as she was lying next to him, listening to his soft breathing late at night. The reflected light of a bluish moon filtered through the window, coating the room with a watery sheen. He was lying on his back, his long hair spreading out over the pillow. She looked at his face, he had a tranquil expression and was deeply relaxed. She curled up next to him, her back against his warm body.

_Just to keep warm_, she told herself drowsily, _... just to keep warm_.

A bleeping noise woke her up the next morning. As she opened her eyes he was gone from her side. She looked up and found him sitting at the desk in front of his computer. He was still naked and stared at the screen in concentration. Silently she got up and began to dress herself.

Distractedly he said "Wait, come over here."

Only dressed in her underwear she walked over to him with a quizzical look on her face. Curiously she peered at the organic computer screen which resembled an animal hide stretched over a frame. Figures she couldn't decipher ran in long columns from top to bottom. "Are these signs letters or numbers?" she inquired.

"You have a concept of written language?" he asked sharply.

Proudly she held up her chin. "Of course. My people are known for their achievements in science and historical research. Well, they _were_ known for it before the culling." She looked away.

"Would you be able to learn the Wraith alphabet? It's quite complicated," he asked her with narrowed eyes.

Warily she replied "Sure. I'm not dumb."

He just watched her and murmured "You certainly are not." Suddenly he got up. "But I did not order you to come over here to talk about your intelligence."

"Then why?" she prompted. He ran a hand over her shoulder, taking down the strap of her top with his thumb.

"I needed to tell you to stop dressing, it is not time for you to leave yet."

_I should have known it_, she thought and rolled her eyes as he embraced her. He disposed of her underwear and picked her up to sit her on the desk as if she weighed nothing. By now knowing what to expect she just relaxed resignedly. But then a treacherous voice inside her whispered _You know, you could probably shorten the procedure... _

_What? And encourage him further? _

… _said the worshipper who didn't button her shirt up all the way yesterday. _

_Right_, she decided. _What can go wrong?_

Carefully she put her arms around him, her fingertips brushing against the ridge of his spine before she let them slowly slide down to the small of his back. She felt his muscles tense up under her touch and he growled. Hastily she withdrew her hands. _Alright, alright! I was just trying to be nice, no need to get growly at me – And there's certainly no need for THAT!_ she thought shocked as he drew back his right hand and slammed it down on her chest. She felt a sting as his feeding organ connected with her system and then happened nothing.

No pain, no energy, only a faint telepathic link. He kept thrusting for a few seconds until – his mind crashed into hers with force, winding itself around hers and holding it close. Like the low rumbling of an oncoming wave she felt a stream of emotions enter her mind and body through her chest and her conscious thoughts were wiped away by his ecstasy. They both opened their mouths in unison, she for gasping and he for a throaty roar.

As she slowly regained control of her senses she realised that her arms were around his neck and her fingers were buried in his hair. Suddenly she felt deeply embarassed. She hadn't fought back. She had allowed herself to lose control, to accept the pleasure offered to her by this alien creature who she couldn't trust. _How dare you to make me feel good? What now?_

All she wanted was to get away from him as fast as possible. _Or do I want to get away from myself? _

She loosened her grip, put her palms against his chest and shoved him away firmly. He didn't resist and backed off. She quickly dressed while avoiding to look at him. When she was by the door to leave he said "Wait."

She didn't turn around. She didn't need to, she could sense him standing directly behind her. _How does he do that every time?_ She could smell him, his warm scent was tinged with sweat and a hint of their physical merging.

"From now on you will come to me every day at the usual hour. This is an order, so there is no room for misunderstandings on your behalf," he purred and she knew that he was grinning. "You may leave now."

Not looking back she walked away, feeling utterly confused as always when she left him.


	11. A Stale Victory

Kala fled from his quarters and din't stop until she reached a small storeroom halfway down the corridor. She opened the door, rushed in and locked the door behind her. She needed to be alone now and leant back against a wall, wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, but not from the cold.

For the first time after being used by him she felt the need to cry. She hadn't even cried after the very first time but now silent sobs were making her whole body shake. _What has he done to me?_ Just when she had learned to deal with his indifference he had come so close to her, she couldn't allow that, couldn't afford that. She had to keep him at a certain distance otherwise her life would become miserable.

If he started to share his pleasures with her on a regular basis she knew she would eventually surrender, maybe even grow fond of him. _And? Would that be so bad? You know you can't escape him, why not give in and continue his game on the next level? _

_Because he is a Wraith and there is no chance at all that he could ever be completely trusted or that he could grow even remotely fond of me. I'm a toy, not more._

Her inner voices continued their arguing and she felt like a spectator while her fate was being decided by them. She leant her head back and stared at the ceiling, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

_Why? Why did he do that? He doesn't really care about me, why bother to make things better for me? _

Even though she didn't want to think about it her thoughts circled around the _incident_, as she had decided to call it. She would have to lie if she denied that it had felt fantastic. It had been so intense, so wonderful, so forbidden. A thrill of excitement tingled down the length of her body and she guiltily remembered how it had felt as she had ran her hands down his back, feeling his strong muscles tense up just before he had growled…

_Wait, what if he had actually _liked_ that?_ She had been so hesitant, she had taken for granted that he had growled in annoyance, but now it made another, far more wicked kind of sense. _So it was my fault. I turned him on and he returned the favour. _

_He liked it so much__ that he now wants me to come every night. I have bought my safety_, she thought with a grim smile. _As long as he thinks me entertaining, that is. And only safe when comparing him to other Wraith, _she remembered Ella who always seemed to lurk on the edge of her consciousness nowadays. _Maybe I should think of it as a victory, but it certainly doesn't feel like one_.

Kala wiped away her tears and left the storeroom, feeling a little more balanced now. She rounded a corner and stopped abruptly, she had nearly bumped into a male Wraith. He snarled irritatedly at her "Watch your step, mindless creature." She recognised him instantly by the tattoo on his forehead and her heart almost stopped, it was the commander. She lowered her head and stepped aside quickly. Not daring to look up she closed her eyes firmly and tried to keep her breathing even. _Go, please. Simply go. I swear I will never cross your path again. _

He bent over her and she heard him sniff. He was taking her scent in like a stalking dog would do, not moving but keenly aware of his surroundings. He stood there for what seemed to be an eternity, then without apparent reason he jerked his head away and hissed. Cautiously looking up she saw him smile. He seemed pleased as if he had caught some unsuspecting prey and watched it wiggle and cringe before he would deliver the lethal stroke. He hissed once more, spun around and strode away.

Kala held her breath until the sound of his steps had faded in the distance, then she sagged against the wall. _Now, that's nice. The day is getting better and better. Who will I meet next? The Queen?_ Hysteria welled up inside her, she raised a shaky hand to her forehead, brushed her hair aside and giggled breathless. _I'm gonna be close friends with the whole hive by evening._

By the time she got back to the worshippers' quarters Kala had calmed down again. She showered and got dressed. Then she informed Tarna of her return and got assigned to kitchen duty for that day. Two cooks had fallen ill and there was a lot of work to do. Today, it was Kala's first task to bake the bread for the worshippers' breakfast.

While she industriously kneaded the sticky dough she thought of her Wraith. _Honestly, you should stop to think of him as "your" Wraith. – But I don't know any other way to call him, how am I supposed to discern him from the others? Do they even have names? _

She decided that he needed a name and was deeply absorbed in thought when she suddenly became aware of a woman who stepped up next to her and picked up a baking tray with finished loaves. It was Ella and she gave Kala a sad, little smile. "Hi there."

"Ella. So you're on kitchen duty now," Kala said, feeling terribly dumb for pointing out the obvious but not being able to find another way for striking up a conversation. Ella nodded.

"Tarna has arranged a permanent post for me here, out of reach of any Wraith. I'm liking it so far." Ella laid the tray carefully into the hot oven and returned to Kala.

"How are things for you?" Ella inquired. "There's rumour that you have found yourself a Wraith."

"In fact, it's more the other way around, he has found me," Kala replied sceptically.

"Does he treat you well?" Ella was looking genuinely interested.

Kala squirmed. "That depends on how you define _well_. By Wraith standards he could be considered to be a bit of a softie, I suppose."

Ella looked down and smiled ruefully. "I wish some kind Wraith had picked me for himself." Absentmindedly she drew her hands through the flour on the worktop. "When I was culled many years ago I thought I was the luckiest human in the galaxy. I so wanted to be a worshipper and adored every Wraith. I believed I would find me a nice Wraith and tame him and we would live happily ever after. I was so naïve." She sighed. "Now it's too late for me."

Sudenly she grasped Kala's hand and looked into her eyes solemnly. "Listen to me, Kala. Do yourself a favour and do everything you can for becoming his personal worshipper." Expecting no response from Kala besides a dumbstruck expression Ella continued "You don't have to tell me how humilitating and revolting that suggestion is to you, you don't have to answer me at all. But please, promise me to give it some thought." Not knowing what to say Kala inhaled deeply and nodded.

"Ella!" Tarna's voice rang through the kitchen loudly, allowing no ignorance. "I need you to sort the cutlery!"

Ella let go of Tarna's hand and whispered in a conspiring tone "Here's a hint to make life a bit more interesting for you: the next time he bites you simply bite back, and it will sure help things along if you scratch him a bit as well. Sometimes they need to be reminded that their superior is a female and you could become his Queen for a few precious moments. His reaction might surprise you." A mischievous smile crept over Ella's face and she winked at Kala before she left.

_His personal worshipper_. Kala rolled the thought around in her head and examined it thoroughly. _He doesn't mistreat me – much, and he might even allow me some leisure time since I wouldn't have to do the domestic chores for all the worshippers any longer._ If she could manage to swallow her pride she could have a future on this hiveship. If only she could forget that _personal worshipper_ meant _personal slave_.


	12. Threats

He was still in his quarters, sitting at his computer terminal and waiting for the results of his updated search filter. The newly refined algorithm sorted solar systems out which couldn't be in the right position within the galaxy for various reasons, for example if they were in the territories of allied hives.

He allowed himself to close his eyes for the moment it took the computer to finish its calculations. Despite his troubles with the commander he felt relaxed like he hadn't done for a long time. It had been the right decision to take on the worshipper. Alone her presence and her curiousity had a soothing effect on him and it was pleasant to feel her warm, soft body against his when he drifted to sleep at night. Mating with her was delightful. Even though she didn't respond aroused to his touch she had accepted him – he would long since have abandoned her if she hadn't lost her fear of him. And even better yet, she had voluntarily embraced him this morning.

He had no illusions about her motivation though, she certainly hadn't spontaneously fallen in love with him. At this stage of her training there could only be two possible reasons for her behaviour. First, she could have acknowledged the fact that she should endear herself to him if she wanted to become his personal worshipper – _Without doubt a desirable aim for any worshipper_, he thought. But she wasn't as wily as that, so he suspected the true reason for her embrace was that she had simply wanted him to finish their mating as quick as possible.

But no matter which of those reasons it had been, she certainly hadn't expected his reaction. To be honest, he hadn't expected his reaction himself. He would never have thought that her touch would have such an impact on him.

_Her hands slide along his sides and hesitantly touch his spine before continuing their way downwards, and downwards…_ Without meaning to he growled softly at the memory. He had scared her. She had withdrawn her hands in shock and uncertainty which had left him deeply disappointed and he had overreacted. _No. Don't be afraid. Keep touching me_. In his frenzied despair he had done what had seemed right in the madness of the moment, he had shown her what her touch meant to him.

And she had given in, she had accepted his offer. He could still remember how it had felt as she had flung her arms around his neck, how she had drawn him close to her with force, her mouth brushing against his cheek and her fingers clawing into his hair and for a second she had been his.

But afterwards she had felt ashamed. It had been too early, she hadn't been ready yet. _What has she done to me? I very seldom lose control. _

A bleep startled him out of his memories. The computer had finished its calculation and the search result was showing on the screen. Still far too many systems.

Without warning the door opened and the commander strode in, apparently completely unfazed by the fact that he had entered private quarters without invitation. Technically, as alpha male he was allowed free entry to every room on the ship but it was generally acknowledged among the Wraith that it was a sign of very bad manners to enter private quarters without asking for permission or without even announcing one's presence. Without preamble the commander asked "Where are your results? Can you name the solar system?"

_This is not fair_, he thought. _The three days have not fully passed yet_. But then, it would not matter if he had had three days, three weeks or even three months. The result would probably stay the same. _So I will be done with it now_.

Slowly he got up from his desk, keeping his hands non-threateningly down. A strange thought flashed across his mind. _Funny, really, that humans consider raised hands to be non-threatening, even if faced with a Wraith. _

He inclined his head in the slightest possible way of greeting and replied "In the current stage of my research I can offer you 840 solar systems within reasonable parameters of territory and distance."

The commander bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "As you well know I cannot dispatch that many darts to investigate. The hive would be defenseless. The number of systems is unacceptable, you have failed."

"I have not failed," he retorted. "I have achieved what was possible within the time frame and with the meagre intelligence provided." What he did not say aloud was_ I could have achieved more if you had not killed my informant. _

"Considering the terms of your assignment – give me useful information within three days – you _have_ failed. I will hereby remove you from your rank, you are no longer Head Of Intelligence – but," the commander glared at him. "You will still be assigned to the task I gave you. It would be pointless to let someone else continue your work since you know the most about it by now. I will grant you again three days, but this time you will not lose your rank if you fail, you will have to leave the hive."

_Leave the hive? That equals a death sentence_. No allied hive would take on an exiled Wraith, especially none who had served as Head Of Intelligence. _The commander simply wants to dispose of me without killing me openly, the Queen would not tolerate more murders. Yet he needs the information from me, I still have a certain value_. Knowing he could do nothing at the moment he lowered his head. "I will continue the research."

The commander nodded "Of course you will." He then turned around as if to leave, but looking back he grinned unpleasantly and sneered "Maybe you could have achieved more if you had not wasted your time mating with worshippers."

Now it was his turn to narrow his eyes "I did not waste my time. Even I am allowed a few hours rest each day and what I do with that time is alone my concern." _What is he up to now?_

"Yet you had an important mission, it would have been your duty to work overtime. Besides, consorting with worshippers in such a soft way like you do can addle your sense of duty to your own kind, worshippers need to be ruled with dominance and force."

"What would you know about the way I treat worshippers and why would that affect my sense of duty to my hive?" he felt fury stirring up in him. _Keep calm, you do not know what he wants_.

Chuckling the commander walked to the door. "I have met a little cleaner on the way here and it was hard to miss that your stench was all over her. She was absentminded and almost ran into me, maybe someone needs to teach her a bit more respect and attentiveness." He paused, seemingly in thought, then he continued "Can you recommend her mating abilities?"

_He is provoking me, he is looking for a weak spot._ Keeping his face calm he shrugged. "Below average and unmotivated." _She does not scream or fight back, you would find her boring_. "She was just a random worshipper who happened to cross my path yesterday." _If he has scanned her mind he will know that I am lying. _

The commander eyed him warily. "I see. So she is not worth a second glance. I will not keep you from your task any longer now, see to it that I will get my results." Then he left.

_He does not trust me but that is only fair, after all, I do not trust him either._ He established a telepathic link to one of his drones and ordered it to guard Kala. The drone should observe her inconspicuously and report to him if the commander should show up and claim her. He had no idea yet what he should do in that case but he would never allow that usurper to spoil his careful training. _You will never touch her, she is mine, now even more so. _


	13. Nightmares And Other Good Fortunes

Kala was nervous and indescisive on her way to his quarters that evening. She wished for something to happen that would help her make up her mind. Her thoughts circled around the choice she should make. _Would I be able to stand him for the rest of my life? Would he even keep me for the rest of my life? Would he be the one who causes the end of my life? Does it even matter what I think? Do I have a choice at all?_

When she knocked on his door nothing happened. She waited. After what seemed an appropriate time she knocked once more, a bit more forceful. A large amount of nothing happened again. _Now that's new. Where is he? He knows I'm coming. Either he doesn't care if I have to wait or something has happened. I hope he's alright_. She frowned. _Did I just think that?_ Before she had time to further analyse her thoughts the door opened and she felt guiltily relieved to see him unharmed. But he looked positively grumpy and wasn't at all pleased by the distraction.

"Come in," he grumbled before going to his desk, sitting down and turning all his attention to the computer screen. He remained silent and didn't spare her a second glance. She walked in and waited some minutes. _Great_, she thought. _Another little game, is it? You want me to do something, right? Tell you what, this time it's your turn. Do something – anything. Either be nice to me or be mean, just don't leave me in confusion again. Do something that helps me decide. Please. _

She stood by the window, her arms crossed, and looked at the stars. There was nothing special about the view tonight, no spectacular nebula, no colourful hyperspace tunnel, just the plain blackness of space dotted with stars. On her homeworld she had walked many a night down to the lake to watch the stars. Some nights the lake's surface had been so still she had had the impression that she was looking at two skies, one above and one beneath her. She had often thought about the incredible vastness of the universe and wondered what her own place in it was. She would never have thought that she would be traveling among the stars. Sure, she had visited other worlds by means of the Ancestor's Portal but she had not expected to travel on board a Wraith hiveship some day.

Usually the view of the stars filled her with serenity and inspiration but not tonight, not here. The Wraith hadn't moved, not even looked at her.

_Please_, she thought. _I don't expect you to kneel before me to make a proposal and I'm not keen on going to bed with you either but please give me at least a small sign that you are pleased that I'm here. Acknowledge the fact that I'm a sentient, living creature, that's all I want._

He just kept working at his computer. Her inner restlessness forced her to start pacing back and forth in the room. After a couple of minutes he looked up from the screen and snarled at her.

"Will you stop fidgeting now or do I have to make you stop?"

"I'm bored!" she snapped back, instantly regretting it, fearing he would punish her for her insolence. _Well, at least now he has to show some reaction_.

He glared at her for some seconds. "I did not know that you enjoy our matings so much that your anticipation for the next time makes you this restless." He sighed and got up, suddenly looking weary and tired. Not knowing what to say she simply waited. He came closer and linked his mind with hers, scanning her thoughts and emotions. He was tired indeed and she managed to shield her mind with ease, not allowing him to delve too deep. She on the other hand was able to scan his mind, he was angry – not with her, thanks Mother of the Lake – frustrated and a bit desperate. She almost felt sorry for him. Too late he realised that she had access to his mind and he cut the link with a menacing growl.

He walked past her and opened a wall panel. She couldn't see what he was doing, apparently he was searching for something. When he returned he held out what looked like a small tablet to her. It was a miniature computer screen displaying rows of Wraith writing. She took the data tablet and examined it closely, hesitantly touching the surface like she had seen him do it. As her finger ran across a letter that letter would zoom and grow larger, next to it different glyphs flashed past rapidly, some of them looked familiar to her. She had seen them while visiting other worlds. _It's a transcriptor_, she realised. _It's showing me what a Wraith letter looks like in other languages. _

"You want me to learn the Wraith alphabet." It was a statement, not a question.

"Choose the language of your homeworld and your own alphabet will be displayed in comparison. I want you to be able to read a short, easy sentence by tomorrow. Do not disappoint me." Not waiting for her reaction he set to work again.

_He wants to educate me, I guess that's a good sign. He wouldn't bother if I was just a toy for him._ Weighing the data tablet in her hand she took off her shoes and sat down on the bed cross-legged, glad to have something to occupy her mind with. Using the trial and error method she she found the familiar and comforting alphabet of her homeworld and started to memorise the Wraith letters. She only made very slow progress, the Wraith alphabet was indeed very complex, like he had warned her. It had more letters than her own alphabet, that confused her at first but she accepted the challenge and concentrated on studying the alien signs.

So the two of them spend a long time together, in silence and each of them absorbed in their task. But where he remained sitting upright, not moving except for his hands, she had to change her position to make herself more comfortable after a while. She went from sitting cross-legged to lying on her side, head propped up on her hand, to lying flat on her belly, chin resting on her crossed arms and she became more and more drowsy.

_I can do this, just one more letter, just one more_… She curled up on her side, data tablet still in her hand and dozed off. She didn't know how long she had been asleep before a gentle tug at her hand reached the outskirts of her consciousness. She didn't wake up but became aware that the tablet had been removed from her grasp, followed by the fuzzy sensation of a warm body lying down next to her. She didn't open her eyes but she felt his breath on her cheek and then something warm and soft touched her forehead gently before she felt him lean back on his side of the bed, he didn't touch her again. _He just kissed me, he has never done that before, why now? – Because he thinks you're asleep_, she thought with the strange clarity that rules the misty realm between reason and dream. She relaxed and fell asleep again.

The next time she woke up with a start. It still wasn't morning and confused and alarmed she sat up and wondered what had woken her up. Then she heard a fearsome growl next to her followed by a disconcerting whine. She looked down and thought for a moment that he could be hurt or in pain but no – he was fast asleep. Amused she thought of the pet dog she had had as a child. He had often had vivid dreams and had yelped in his sleep, his paws had twitched while he had chased his imaginary prey.

The sound of another threatening growl pulled her back to the present. He whined again, full of despair, it made her cringe. _That must be the hell of a nightmare_, she thought alarmed as she saw that his hands were twitching, seemingly clawing at an invisible opponent. _This is no longer funny_, she thought_. Wraith or not, no living creature should have to endure this distress. But what can I do? He might attack me in his confusion if he wakes up, I could be at the receiving end of those claws._

Carefully she bent over him and murmured softly "Shhh… easy. Everything's fine. It's just me and by the way, don't kill me." He stopped twitching but didn't wake up, instead he whined again. It was heartbreaking and she could no longer resist the natural human urge to comfort him. Gently she touched his shoulder and ran her hand down the length of his arm while still murmuring silly things into his ear. "Everything's alright, it's okay. You're in your quarters on your hiveship and you're perfectly safe." He still didn't wake up but his breathing calmed noticeably and his features smoothed as the pained expression faded away. His mouth was slightly open and he mumbled something that sounded undoubteldly like "Kala".

She continued stroking his arm for some time even after he was peacefully asleep again, She felt oddly proud and smug. _So_, she mused_. Apparently you are not the only one with some power in this wicked relationship_. Looking down at him she lightly caressed his cheek with her hand and to her surprise he smiled briefly. _Now look at this dangerous monster, he almost looks cute and harmless_. Her eyes glinted with amusement. _Maybe Wraith and humans are not so different from each other after all. Who would have guessed that…_


	14. Changes

As he woke up the next morning he had the strange feeling that something had changed. He couldn't quite figure out what it was. Looking around he couldn't find anything unusual in the room. Everything was at its place and Kala was lying next to him, fast asleep. The collective telepathic buzz of the hive showed nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual flashes of everyday thoughts and emotions. But still he couldn't shrug off the feeling of change. It wasn't tangible, just a faint emotion, like a dream he had had and couldn't quite remember, but it kept lurking at the edge of his consciousness, teasingly out of reach.

A dream… now it made sense. Suddenly he recalled having a nightmare. In his dream he had been fighting against the commander and a whole army of drones, they had made him a runner and chased him through the forest of an unknown world.

_He runs and fights for his life, never getting away, branches and leaves slapping into his face while he runs, runs… Suddenly the Queen appears out of nowhere, feeding hand drawn back for attack, the commander is standing at her side, grinning smugly. _

_"You have disappointed me," she snarls. Her hand shoots forward, he is scared out of his mind. Something unexpected happens. The Queen continues to speak but she has Kala's voice. He can't grasp the sense of her words but her voice is gentle and reassuring. The Queen now even looks like Kala, her face shows concern. The hand that nearly killed him is now touching him gently. Their surroundings dissolve and his world consists only of Kala's voice. He becomes aware that he is standing on a hilltop, Kala at his side. Warm light saturates the scenery. He sees a shallow, broad valley, a vast lake in its midst, he can only just see the other side in the misty distance. _

This is your homeworld_, he thinks. _I saw this in your mind_. Puzzled he finds that Kala is gone from his side. Kooking around he finds her sitting on a rounded rock. She has a sketchbook on her lap and some pencils. She seems to be content, her face and whole body are relaxed. She looks beautiful. _So this is where you belong, this is what you are meant to be_. She lifts her head and looks him in the eyes. She smiles, there is recognition in her face and compassion. She pats the rock next to her, motioning him to sit down. _

_For a while they just sit there, she is sketching and he simply enjoys the tranquil beauty of his surroundings and a rare sense of peace fills him. Kala yawns and stretches beside him, she bends backwards, her eyes are closed. Her face is turned upwards to revel in the warm sunlight. He leans back too and sighs, content with simply being here, next to his intriguing human and feels the warmth of the two suns on his face. Then everything sinks into sleepy darkness. _

What was that all about? Parts of his dream had been so real that he asked himself if Kala's presence in it had been triggered by real impressions. _She would not dare to touch me on her own accord, would she?_ He looked down at her, she was still fast asleep. _I need to know_. Carefully, not to scare her, he reached into her mind. It was very difficult to do this with a sleeping consciousness because it was so unfocused and temperamental but on the other hand he encountered no defenses.

He stumbled over a dizzy memory, he heard and saw himself having a nightmare through her eyes and she stroked his arm. The image was blurred and dampened by her sleep and he didn't dare to examine closer because she could wake up and panic if she felt him rummaging in her mind, so he withdrew.

_You saved me from being fed on by my Queen_. He smiled. _You are braver than you know. I think I owe you something. _

He had the need to hold her close and feel her warm skin. _Maybe now you are ready for the next step. Maybe now you will allow me to come closer. _

He slid slowly over to her and lightly touched her back, she didn't wake up. Encouraged he settled down behind her and let his hand wander to her belly, touching her ever so slightly. She breathed deeply but still slept on. _Very well, stay relaxed_. He stroked her, using only his fingertips and she inhaled again and shivered. _Let me tease you awake, let us see what happens… _


	15. Choices

Kala was asleep. There was nothing but darkness in her consciousness.

A tingling sensation… Tiny electric charges running through her body… There… Again…_ Lemme sleep_… The slightest of touches and another tingling… _Wanna sleep_… A touch. Tingling. Stronger. Ever stronger. _Hm… not unpleasant, maybe even worth waking up for_… Warm breath on her neck…Touches again, this time in two different places at once… _Where…? Focus… what's going on?_ Slowly the sleep was driven away by another burst of tingling, still growing stronger. It pulsed down from her breast into her lower belly and cumulated there causing the delightful electric sensation. Another electric charge, this time coming all the way down from her neck where soft lips caressed her skin. _Hm… not bad at all. _

A tiny part of her brain sounded an alarm. _This _is_ bad, you're on a hiveship, remember? You know, hiveship, like in Wraith directly behind you?_ She was still drowsy and the pleasant feelings grew stronger and extinguished her rational thoughts. _I'm still sleeping and this is a nice – if somewhat naughty – dream_. She let herself drift away and as if from a distance heard her own breathing quicken.

Gentle fingertips were brushing slightly, too slightly, against her inner thighs. The tingling was almost unbearable. _Are you out of your mind? Pull yourself together, stay alert. Don't give in!_ Her common sense made a last desperate attempt to pull her back into a reality where she was about to become prey to a cruel alien once more.

_But this doesn't feel cruel at all… In fact, it never has. Rough, yes, but never cruel. For the first time he is making an effort to be gentle, I might as well make the most of it. _

_But why? Why now? Why hasn't he done this right from the beginning? _

_Because I wouldn't have wanted it anyway. I have been a scared chicken, it wouldn't have mattered much if he had been gentler. I was actually glad that he didn't try to be nice, that he didn't come this close to me. _

His hand stroked the soft skin of her side and all thoughts about _Why_ dissolved in a pink mist. She sighed and pushed her back against his body. She was even disappointed as he rolled her over on her belly.

_No, not like this, I want to hold you_… She twisted around in his arms until he let go of her and she was facing him. The slow smile she knew well by now crept over his face. Normally it made him look smug and arrogant but this time was different. The ususal lascivious smirk was layered with what seemed to be genuine affection. There were several unspoken questions in his eyes.

"You are tricking me into liking you," she accused him calmly, trying to ignore the turmoil of her feelings. His smile faded and he looked solemn.

"I do not trick you into anything. I merely guide you past your fears and prejudices. You are to become a true worshipper. I want you to see me as I am because I am not the monster you take me for. You have already learned many things, you have learned enough to know by now that Wraith have feelings, like humans."

Unsettled by his intensity she swallowed hard and replied "Then prove to me that you are not a monster, leave me a choice."

"What choice would that be?"

"If I told you that I don't want to mate with you right now would you respect that?"

"No, I would not. Because you would not tell me the truth."

_Damn. Is it that obvious?_ She averted her gaze and crawled a few inches away from him. "That's not the point."

He crawled after her and gently turned her face towards him. "But yes, it is the point. You have asked the wrong question. You don't want to know if you have a choice, you want to know if I would force you. Let me answer that with another question: did I ever force you to do something against your will?"

She glared at him and opened her mouth for a snarky response but then she thought better of it. In a trembling voice she answered "Does feeding on me and ordering me about count? If I don't obey your orders you would kill me. Doesn't that count as forcing me?"

She expected him to snarl but instead he replied quietly "What makes you think that I would kill you? You do not know me at all, you have to look past your prejudices. I would neither force you nor kill you. It would not be necessary because I have ways to persuade you."

She crawled further backwards until she felt a wall in her back. "So the basic point is nevertheless that I don't have a choice if I want to stay alive. It's either do what you want or jump out of an airlock."

He came slowly closer. "If you reduce the question to this basic point you are certainly right when you assume that you don't have a choice. I am a Wraith and you are a worshipper, you obey or ultimately you are killed. It is as simple as that. From_ your_ point of view."

He leant closer over her and for a shocked second she thought he was going to kiss her but he didn't, he nuzzled her neck and murmured "But it is not as simple as that. There is so much more." She felt the warmth radiatiating from his body on her skin. "I have already left you many choices. Every choice you have made until now has lead you to this moment, right here, right now."

There was the exciting tingling again and Kala closed her eyes. It cost all of her self-restraint to say "No, stop it. Now."

"Why? Does it not feel pleasant?"

"No. Yes. No." She pulled her knees up to her torso and tried to push him away with her hands.

"What are you afraid of?" He didn't move. She turned away from him and didn't answer. He continued "I could persuade you." Slowly he raised his feeding hand.

"Yes, you could." She sighed in resignation, then she told him in quiet and acid tones "That would bring me one step closer to your ideal of a perfect, docile worshipper, I'm sure."

She firmly held his gaze this time, daring him to do something. He lowered his hand and said "And it would lose me your respect, you carefully avoided to say."

He slowly backed away from her. "I am not your enemy, Kala," he told her evenly. Then he got up. "You need to shower."

She was startled by this sudden change of topic. "I know, I'll shower as soon as I reach the worshippers' quarter." _Do you think that I don't have a concept of personal hygiene? _

"Now," he growled. He grabbed her arm so she was forced to look at him. His expression was stern and his tone of voice allowed no defiance. He had become the complete opposite of the Wraith who had tried to seduce her mere seconds ago. She narrowed her eyes. She almost wanted to snap at him but something in his eyes stopped her. _He is afraid_, she realised. _But of what?_

He let go of her arm and looked away. "You need to wash off my scent, no Wraith must know that you have been with me. Especially not the commander."

_Alright_, she thought, eyeing him warily. _That's probably the only explanation I will get at this moment_. He handed her a towel and opened the door to his bathroom. He urged her to go in an closed the door again. Puzzled, she blinked at the handles and basins. She had never been in a Wraith's bathroom before and looked sceptically at the taps. She didn't want to ask him how this stuff worked so she fiddled around until she managed to coax a lukewarm curtain of water out of the ceiling.

As the water poured over her body she relaxed. _So, he still treats me as if I'm a slave but at least he eventually respected my denial. Lucky me, who knows what might have happened. This all going too fast for me. One second he is almost affectionate and the next second he growls at me. Why does it have to be so confusing?_

She scrubbed herself clean and had an unwelcome memory of the commander. How he had sniffed at her and how afraid she had been. _Why does he not want the commander to know I was here? Is he ashamed to admit that he regularly shares his bed with an ordinary cleaner? Is it bad for a Wraith's reputation? He loathes the commander, maybe that feeling is mutual._

Now an additional piece of the puzzle fell into place. The commander's triumphant sneer as he had walked away from her, as if he had discovered something he could use against – her Wraith.

A deadly cold crept through her bones as she thought of the possibility that the commander might even consider to kill her just to annoy her Wraith. _That's why he wants me to shower, he's worried about – who? Himself? Or me?_


	16. Breakfast Table Musings

Kala dried herself and left the bathroom. He was already waiting for her behind the bathroom door and she was taken aback as she almost walked into him. _Hell, can't I take one step on this ship without running into a Wraith?_ He was already wearing trousers but was still bare-chested. Leaning closer he sniffed at her and she had to suppress the urge to lean backwards. _What am I? The local dogs' favourite tree?_ She shifted her weight uneasily from one foot to the other as he stepped even closer. His eyes were closed and his upper lip curled into a smile that showed his sharp teeth. He was still inhaling her scent.

_Oh, come on. Don't spoil the effort of my shower now__ by hugging me or doing even worse, I thought we had clarified that_.

She sidled away slowly and he growled slightly annoyed. He straightened up and his eyes snapped open, his expression became blank and unreadable. He reached out to pick up a clean set of worshippers' clothes and held it out to her.

"I had a drone bring these," he explained as he saw her puzzled expression. "You slept in your clothes."

Then she understood. She had fallen asleep in her clothes while studying the Wraith alphabet and had only undressed much later after she had been woken up due to his nightmare. She took the fresh clothes and started to dress herself. He went into the bathroom without another word.

Unsure what to do she hesitated as she had finished dressing. _What now? Shall I just go or should I wait for him to come back out to say goodbye? What are we now? We're certainly not as distant as we were yesterday but we have never said goodbye to each other before. I don't think it's custom among Wraith to say goodbye, at least they don't do it audibly or in any way a human would do. No, I'm just being silly. He didn't bother to say anything, why should I? _

With an awkward feeling she left. She didn't meet anyone on her way. It was still very early in the artificial day and night rythm of the ship. There only was a subtle change in the quality of the diffuse lighting which indicated that it was morning. Since it was almost everywhere on the ship relatively gloomy – with the exception of the worshippers' quarters – at every given time of the day it had taken her quite some time to get used to the rythm. During the daytime the lighting got slightly stronger and was a white hue whereas at night the light dimmed down and left everything looking soft and blueish.

Many humans had problems adjusting to the constant gloominess. Kala circumvented the problem by always making an effort to see the - alright, _a_ – sun whenever possible. What she liked most was when the ship rested in orbit above a planet. The ship would then be synchronised with the planet's revolving motion so the ship's rythm matched that of the planet. Kala liked to get up early and sit by a window to watch the genuine sunrise above the planet. She hadn't been able to do that for over a week and she missed it. Humans needed to see the sun, even if it was only once in a while.

She arrived at the worshippers' quarters and reported to Tarna, who was always one of the first to get up. Today it was kitchen duty again for Kala. She made her way over to Sarali and some other humans who were already waiting to start working.

_I need more time. I wish I could just get away for a while_. Kala sighed while stacking used plates and cups on a tablet after breakfast.

"What's up with you, kid? You're miles away." Sarali nudged Kala and helped her to clean up the breakfast table. Picking up some spoons Kala replied "I need a break. I can't do this any longer."

Sarali frowned. "You've only just started collecting the plates a couple of minutes ago, it can't be that exhausting, can it?"

"Hm?" Kala turned to face Sarali, then, after the meaning of her words had sunken in she groaned softly. "No, Sarali. It's not the cutlery and the dishes that run me ragged, or at least they don't demand that I spend the night with them and they don't blackmail me emotionally either."

"So your Wraith blackmails you? I wish I could kick his green ass for that."

That remark made Kala smile. _Brave Sarali_. Seeing Kala's reaction Sarali continued with a smirk "Yes, his ass and the same latitude on his frontside."

Kala snorted, now she almost felt cheerful. "Wouldn't be a bad idea if it put him off sleeping with me." She became earnest again. "Something happened today, something that scares me." She lowered her head and collected the scattered knives and forks. "I wish he wouldn't sleep with me anymore." _At least for some time_…

"That son of a green bitch," Sarali growled. "What did he do? Are you hurt?"

"No," Kala hastened to say. "Not something like that. He didn't hurt me, he just… confused me. I need some time to make up my mind about him and me and… well, where this awkward relationship could lead me." Kala's tablet was bulging under the weight of dirty dishes and cutlery as she lifted it up and she quickly put it down again to remove some of the heavy plates.

"You might want to talk to Ella about that," Sarali suggested, eyeing Kala carefully.

"Actually Ella already talked to me, and even gave me some hints." Kala blushed slightly. "I can see that it would have advantages to become his personal worshipper and he even tried to be nice to me this morning, well, before he snarled at me again, but I somehow can't wrap my head around the thought of having a master. It's like giving up my freedom. Haha – the illusion of freedom anyway."

"I think I can understand what you mean. Now Tarna is your boss, at least until some Wraith shows up, and that's much better than having a Wraith giving you orders the whole day long – and at night, especially if he's such a pain." Sarali noticed that Tarna was looking at them both reproachfully, so she hastened to bend over the table and pretended to be busy.

Kala sorted out the plate chaos on her tablet and removed those plates that were threatening to fall down. "He isn't a pain as such. There are Wraith who are much worse than him. I might even get used to him and perhaps even like him sometime in the future, but that's what scares me. What will I be? What will my life be like? Is there a chance for me to be happy with such a life? If I take the wrong step now will I be able to turn back? I need time to think it all over or I might do something I could regret later. This all going too fast for me. That's why I want to keep him at a distance."

Sarali mulled over this and put Kala's plates on her own tablet. Then she said "I can't help you there, that's something you have to decide for yourself. But here's an idea, just tell him you've got your monthly nuisance, that'll put him off. As far as I know Wraith don't like their beds messy."

Kala nodded. _That might work and would buy me some days time_. She felt a bit optimistic. She only hoped he wouldn't want to snuggle with her or think of an alternative way she could provide him with pleasure.

Sarali and Kala continued cleaning up the tables and none of them noticed the single drone that stood silently guard over Kala.


	17. Liar, Liar

"Come in," her Wraith told her that evening as she stood on his doorstep. She looked down and twisted her hands nervously. "I can't serve you today," she told him. He looked at her expectantly. "Why is that?"

"It's my time of the month and I don't think you'd, well, like me to, erm, mess up your blankets _." Buy this, please, buy this. _

He still looked at her. "If you think that you can't serve me I will have to summon another worshipper to take your place while you are indisposed."

A cold shiver ran down her back and a shocked expression flashed over her face before she could stop herself. Hastily she looked down and rearranged her face to show indifference. _What the? No! But I thought I was special._

"Is anything the matter?" He asked her with a hint of surprise. "Would you rather have me to wait for you?"

"No, no," she stuttered. "It's okay, you can do what you like, with who you like, it's none of my business." She looked at the walls, the floor and the ceiling in turns. _Damndamndamn. No! Don't cry, don't cry. This is not how it's supposed to go. Is it this easy to replace me?_

"I will ask you this only one more time, would you like me to wait for you? I would wait if it was your wish." His voice was dead serious and she looked up at him. She didn't trust her own voice because there was a massive icy lump down her throat, so she just nodded once. _I just declared my defeat and submission_, she thought resingnedly. _But what should I do, had I said "no" everything would have been for nothing._

"Very well, despite the notion you might have of me I am not a dog in heat, I can wait if it pleases you. Now come in." He grinned smugly and condescendingly at her. She was rooted to the spot.

"But, I thought you wouldn't require my service at all."

"There is more than that one way to serve me, human. Come in and let us continue your education." He motioned her to enter the room and she followed him inside, feeling stupid and embarassed.

"When I remember this correctly I gave you a task." He handed her the data tablet. "Sit down."

_Where?_ she thought puzzled. _Boy, you need more furniture_. Since the bed was the only option besides the single chair at the desk she perched on the edge of the bed. He remained standing. She looked up at him expectantly.

"I want you to read aloud what is on the screen," he told her. The small screen displayed a sentence written in Wraith. She squinted at the monitor and read haltingly "It is possible to teach focus but teaching attentiveness is impossible, as impossible as teaching freedom from fear."

He nodded. "That is correct."

"What does that mean?" she asked, although she had a suspicion.

"It is called the axiom of reciprocity. No matter how experienced the teacher is, teaching can only be successful if the student is able and eager to learn. It is one of a few principles that build the theory of Wraith education. It is quite simple and very old, even by Wraith standards."

_Apparently the axiom of worshipper education, more likely_. He sat down next to her and slowly reached out to take the tablet from her hands. He ran his fingers over the screen and offered it back to her. "These two words are one and the same word, only written in different versions of pronounciation, pick the right version."

Kala squinted at the screen. "C-A, no wait, that letter can be read as a K… K-A-L-A. So this is what my name looks like when written in Wraith." She looked at him. "What is your name?"

He studied her for some seconds without showing a reaction. Then he spoke "Wraith do not have names, at least not names you could pronounce." Seeing her disappointed expression he continued. "The human concept of names is much too restricted. Wraith names are exchanged telepathically and do not consist of mere sound but of several components more like colour, shape and emotion layered together. All those components can have different meanings and are determined by personality and status in the hive's hierarchy, that means a name can change."

"Oh," she said, still disappointed.

"Why do you need a name for me?" He had come closer without her noticing and she was caught unaware by his attentive gaze. She blinked. "Because it's a bit awkward if I just think of you as "Wraith". There are several hundred other green individuals on this ship who are also entitled to that name." _and Hey, you, Green And Scary isn't quite respectful enough…_

"What would you call me then?"

"_Creepy" or "Growly" probably, _she thought_. Creepy, the Wraith, now that's a name to inspire awe_. "I have no idea," she lied.

"Then I will have to remain "Wraith" for the time being. Enough talk, you still have a task. I will provide you with a Wraith text and you will transcribe it to your own alphabet. You will use the data tablet for typing."

"Don't you want me to call you by a name?"

"There is no necessity for you to call me."

"But – oh, never mind." _A dog doesn't need to call its masters name_. How could she explain to him that names were important and helped to create and deepen a social bond. _He doesn't want a social bond, he probably doesn't even want me to become his personal worshipper. He is still just playing with me, like he always has_. She felt like crying and became angry. _This is sick_, she chided herself. _Don't behave like a teenager. You want a Wraith to care about you? – But I thought he does care. He called my name in his sleep and he tried to be nice this morning… and I rejected him. It's all my fault. He has lost interest in me. He even wanted to summon another worshipper to take my place… But he didn't. He offered to wait, for a Wraith that's an amiable intention. Heck. Seems I'd better show a bit interest myself if I don't want to lose him. _

Any physical contact was out of the question so she worked hard on the text he had given her. She shot Creepy – as she had named him in a fit of spite – a quick glance. He was working at his computer terminal again, seemingly completely absorbed in his task. Her own work had until now produced two lines of writing. Apparently it was a poem of some sort. She wouldn't have guessed that Wraith wrote poems.

For me to understand, for you to discover.  
For me to remain, for you to pass.

It took her another half hour to decipher the rest since it was written in a complex way, the letters conveying multiple meanings.

For me to hold you, to keep you from the darkness.  
For you to be mine, to show me the light.

What separates us fades away as we become  
two sides of one whole and eternity unites us.

She couldn't quite explain it but something about that poem touched her. She didn't notice at first that Creepy was standing next to her and looked down at the data tablet in her hand. She pulled herself together and exclaimed "Finished!" She handed him the tablet and he inspected her work.

"I cannot find any mistake. You did well and in a short time too." It was the first time he had complimented her on something and she felt smug.

"Did you like the poem?" he wanted to know.

"Yes, actually I like it. Is it of Wraith origin?"

He nodded. "It is. I thought you might like it, it was written for a worshipper. It's quite famous among the Wraith because of its history."

A Wraith wrote a poem for a worshipper? And such an emotional one too? "What kind of history?"

"A Wraith fell in love with a human and he wrote this poem, not only that but he treated his worshipper as an equal, after that became known to the rest of the hive the Wraith was banned and his worshipper was killed. The Wraith died a short time later in exile."

"That's a sad story though." Kala didn't know what unsettled her more, the thought that a Wraith could actually love a human or the thought of the punishment for that emotion.

He shrugged. "That's just the way things are handled on most hiveships. On every ship, this one included, it is regarded as being unnatural and abominable if a human is treated as equal. This poem is famous because it reminds us of the importance of keeping our emotions under control."

"Not very romantic though," Kala muttered. She swallowed and continued "But still the poem itself is beautiful. I didn't know that Wraith like poetry."

"There are many things you do not know about the Wraith."

She chuckled. "Well, that could have something to do with the fact that it's dangerous for a human to find out more."

"That depends on the human's approach," he grinned.

"And on the Wraith who is approached," she finished the sentence.

He got up. "In case you wish to learn more about Wraith by reading you could read your way through the tablets small database, there are more poems as well as short articles about flora and fauna of inhabited planets." He offered her the tablet and eyed her watchfully.

She took it back and wrapped her fingers around it, eyeing him, equally watchful in return. "I'm an avid reader."

Creepy went back to his desk in his usual wordless manner but Kala could have sworn that she had seen him smile very briefly.

She managed to transcribe another poem. It was a fascinating poem that described the terrifying beauty of a supernova. It was very metaphorical and left Kala deep in thought. It spoke to her in a strange and compelling way. She yawned and stretched enthusiastically, satisfied with her work. He looked up. "I have done another poem," she explained. "But there is one thing that puzzles me."

He tilted his head. "What would that be?"

"There are letters underneath this – and the first – poem that don't make up a word. Underneath the supernova poem for example are the letters R-E-E-S. I ignored them because they don't seem to be necessary to comprehend the poem. What is their purpose?"

"The letters are a signature. Everyone who adds or alters an entry of the hive's database has to sign the entry in case there are errors or further inquiries."

She was awake and interested again. "So these are something like the names of the Wraith who wrote the poems?"

He hesitated. "You could call it a name of sorts, an extremely reduced and crippled form of name though. We would never think of it as a proper name even though it often includes acoustic components of our true names."

"So you could call it a nickname." She was determined to find out more.

He growled slightly, then he sighed. "What is it with humans and names? Don't try my patience, worshipper."

Kala began "Just one last question–" before she was stopped by another growl, noticeably louder this time "… if I may. Could I know this Rees? Is he or she on this ship?" She tried to remember every Wraith she had seen until now but couldn't imagine any of them writing poems, or other literature for that matter.

"Yes, you have met him several times but you do not really know him. It is me." He watched her calmly, waiting for a reaction.

For a moment Kala was speechless. Now that was certainly something new. Creepy turned out to be a poet, capable of writing things that touched her very soul.

"You did not expect that," he observed unnecessarily.

"No," she admitted warily. "No, I didn't." She looked at the tablet that was still in her hand, unsure where to look elsewhere. "Maybe I should go to bed now, it's getting late and I'm tired." She got up.

"Judging by your phrasing and your body language you wish to return to your own bed." He didn't seem to be disappointed or upset.

She searched for a way to end this embarassing topic and settled for blunt "Yes, I'd rather go back, that is, if you don't order me to stay." She bit her tongue. That had sounded much harder than she had intended_. Stupid me, that was not what I wanted to say_. His expression got cold.

"Sorry," she added, not looking at him. "That… didn't sound right. I didn't mean to–"

"You may leave, I will not keep you here against your will." His voice was low and without emotion.

_Stupid! When will I learn to keep my mouth shut?_ She straightened her back and walked up to him, trying to look composed. "I really am sorry," she whispered. "Goodnight and thank you."

"What for?" he asked, looking slightly miffed.

"For allowing me to learn more about your kind." _And for waiting for me._ She cursed herself for not being able to come up with something better, for her cowardice, for not showing him how she felt.

His expression softened a bit. "You are welcome. I expect you to come to me tomorrow and continue your lessons." Grateful for having something to focus on she nodded. "I will."

"Of course you will," he stated matter-of-factly and opened the door. _There is no need to get bossy at me. Can't you see I'm trying to be a nice worshipper? _

As she walked past him he said "Goodnight, Kala." Surprised she turned around and saw him smile to himself just before the door closed between them and he was hidden from view._ Wraith. What are they like_.

As she entered the worshippers' dormitory Tarna stomped towards her, looking flustered_. Oh my, what have I done wrong?_ Kala thought of everything she had done during the day but couldn't find anything she could have messed up. _No broken dishes, no neglected floor, no pink laundry_.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," Kala exclaimed.

"Huh?" Tarna looked at her as if Kala had grown a second head. "What are you talking about, girl? No time for such nonsense. Have you seen Ella?"

Now it was Kala's turn to look baffled. "Ella? No, I haven't seen her. I haven't met anyone in the corridors."

Tarna walked away without another word. _Something is wrong. Very, very wrong_. Kala felt uneasy and somewhat glad that she had the comforting presence of fellow humans around her now. She found Sarali who was already lying in bed. "What has happened? Tarna wanted to know if I have seen Ella."

Sarali was concerned. "Ella went for a walk with Rob this evening. They wanted to go to the panorama room on deck seven. They haven't returned yet."

"Well, it's no big secret that Rob likes Ella, maybe they have found a secluded place to er – get to know each other better." Kala suggested despite her own bad feeling.

"Yeah," Sarali sighed, not looking convinced. "Let us hope it's just that."

Kala undressed and climbed up into her second storey bunk just as a bored voice from the dormitory entrance announced "Lights out in 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1." Click. The room went dark.

She couldn't sleep that night. Her thoughts wouldn't let her rest. She was worried about Ella and Rob and every time she managed to calm down she would think of Creepy. _No, I can't possibly call him Creepy any longer, he is Rees_. Her confused feelings welled up again. She tossed and turned in her bed, trying to get more comfortable, trying to convice herself that she would surely fall asleep if she could only find the right position. But deep down she knew it wasn't that. She felt lonely. There were people all around her, the noises bore evidence to that – snoring, coughing, silent chatting and the rhythmic, muted gasping of stealthy love. But still she felt lonely. Something was missing. Someone. _I miss him_, she realised, and then _I'm barking mad, I'm having feelings for a predatory creature who thinks I'm not better than a pet dog. _

The treacherous gasping sped up and stopped abruptly. Kala wondered if the couple was happy. At least they had found each other under better circumstances. No pressure, no threats, no humilitation. And of course being of the same species helped too. The anonymous couple giggled and Kala envied them. Then an absurd thought crossed her mind. _Do Wraith giggle? Maybe I should try to find out if they do. _


	18. Concerning Worshippers

The next morning he felt unexpectedly cold and lonely as he woke up and he chided himself for being oversensitive. _I cannot have gotten used to her in this short time, I have been alone in my bed for centuries before._ But he had to admit that it had been nice to wake up beside a warm, comforting female the last days. Maybe she would stay tonight.

He knew that he couldn't order her to stay anymore, they were past that stage. She had to come to him voluntarily, she had to trust him_. If I order her now that would be a considerable setback in her training and I wouldn't want to turn her the hard way._

The realisation surprised him_. It is true, I would not want to cause her pain._ It was worrisome that his feelings had nothing to do with reasonable motifs anymore but were touching him far deeper. She sounded a string in him that produced a note of pure serenity, when she was around he felt relaxed and strangely whole.

_Down that way lies harm and sorrow._ _It is not appropriate to become attached to a human. I cannot allow myself to be blinded by unreasonable emotions. Although she is docile enough she is still a human and not to be trusted, at least not yet._

Her defenses had already cracked in places but a lifetime of fear could not be made undone in merely a few days. She had seemed nervous as she had told him about her disability the previous evening. He hadn't even needed to scan her mind or analyse her scent – which would have shocked her anyway – to know that she was hiding something, but he had let her be. He knew that she was trying to avoid physical contact with him and he also knew why. He would allow her time, she would surrender eventually. They all did.

Without enthusiam he left his quarters. His way to the map room lead him past the private quarters on this deck and he picked up the occasional fragment of emotions and thoughts emitted by sleepy minds from behind the closed doors. There was the usual mixture of drowsiness and hunger, flashes of frustration, anger and fear but very rarely he sensed something entirely different. Behind very few of those doors was cheerfulness and contentment, even love.

It didn't happen often but sometimes real feelings developed between a Wraith and his worshipper, not just acceptance or superficial affection but a deep bond.

His last personal worshipper had been a quiet and obedient female, also smart and attractive, the qualities for which he had picked her. She had never felt more than obligation and habitual sympathy for her master. For him she had been a servant and a pleasant warm body at night, appropriate, not more and not less; he would have sacrificed her without hesitation if it had been necessary.

He had always sneered at other Wraith who became too attached to their worshippers, now it seemed that he was about to grow soft himself. And it seemed that Kala would turn out to be much more than the useful, pretty toy he had hoped to find.

Walking along the corridors, deep in thought, he became aware of the Queen's presence close by. She was in one of the numerous throne rooms, he had to pass that room by on his way. Her telepathic signature was a pulsing beacon in his mind, she was the soul of the hive, his ultimate superior and his mother, she had seeded the pod from which he had hatched. He didn't know his sire but it didn't matter anyway, for him only his Queen mattered. The closer he got the better he could sense her feelings, she was irritated. And she had company. He suppressed a growl as he recognised the Queen's visitor, the commander.

He slowed down and shielded his mind as he walked past the room's entrance and stopped and hid behind a pillar as soon as he was sure that no one could see or sense him from inside. He had always prided himself for his ability to effectively shield his mind, he was better at that than most Wraith he knew, that had been one of the reasons why the Queen had put him in her secret service. Confident that he wouldn't be discovered he tuned in to the conversation.

The Queen was apparently pacing back and forth in the chamber while the commander stood rooted to the spot. "I am becoming impatient," the Queen hissed. "When will we know the location of our enemies' laboratory?"

Unimpressed the commander replied "I have set a new ultimatum for the one leading the research, that should raise his motivation and eagerness."

The Queen stopped and glowered at him. "Instead of putting a loyal servant under pressure you should aid him – and you should not have killed the sole informant."

_The Queen knows… this is good news. The commander will have to watch his next steps if he does not want to fall from her grace. _

Without warning the Queen's voice filled his mind like a painful whirlwind_. __**You should know better than to spy on your Queen. Did you really think I would not notice the presence of my own offspring?**_ He was shocked and felt dizzy by the sudden intrusion in his mind.

_My Queen, _he sent out soothing and regretful emotions_. I have no excuse for this besides my wish to protect myself from the ambition of the commander. _He was deep in trouble now. Offspring or not, if she was upset enough she would not hesitate to have him killed just to make an example.

The commander wasn't aware of their mental connection, he explained to the Queen the details of his plan for taking over the facility once it was located.

_**I understand your concern and I know that you are loyal to your Queen and your hive, you only did what is expected from the Head of Intelligence. But if I ever catch you spying on me again I will let the commander take care of your disposal. **_

He sent out more calming emotions. _I understand, my Queen. But I am no longer Head of Intelligence. The commander removed me from that post_. Long, thoughtful silence filled his mind. He sensed the Queen's surprise before she replied. _**I see. Who is now Head of Intelligence?**_

_It is not decided yet but as far as I know all applicants are not hive-born but stem from the commander's original hive. _

He felt her flash of fury and winced in pain as she tore her presence ruthlessly and harsh from his mind. Clenching his jaws to ward off the headache he sorted through his thoughts. _She didn't order me to go._ The Queen hadn't forbidden him to spy on her. She had only warned him of what would happen should she catch him another time. This was a Wraith's way of telling him he should simply get better at spying.

"Leave," he heard the icy voice of the Queen tell the commander in the throne room. "Do not bore me further with the details of your plan when it is not even likely yet that you will get the opportunity to execute it. I have other, more important issues to sort out."

The commander's mind radiated annoyance but he bowed. "My Queen." Then he turned around and headed out of the throne room.

_Time to go_. He spun around and left his hiding place behind the pillar and sped around the next corner so he could pretend he was walking there by chance by the time the commander arrived, not one second too early as it turned out.

The commander glared at him as he entered the corridor.

He knew it was risky to taunt the commander yet he couldn't resist. "Was she in a difficult mood today?"

The commander glared even more and hissed under his breath without answering.

"I only ask because I have heard that you had an appointment with her today."

"That is none of your business," the commander snapped. "Do you not have things to do?"

"Indeed I have." He kept his face blank while the commander bared his teeth.

"Then do not let me keep you from proceeding with your work."

He bowed slighty, indicating that the commander should go first. An ugly smile spread over the commander's face as he resumed his way down the corridor.

_A fight. A Wraith and a human. Screaming. Hunger. The fight is imbalanced, the human is a slender, untrained female. No face, domestic worshipper clothes. She is running away, panicked. The excitement of the chase, hunt her down, closer, closer. Capture. She is slammed into a wall, nearly loses consciousness. A feeding hand clamps down on her chest. Delight, Satisfaction. She dies. _

It was another Wraith's memory he received telepathically and it was directed specifically at him, broadcasted on purpose by the commander who had already disappeared in the distance.

_He has killed a worshipper. He wants to provoke me, he is still searching for a weakness._ Indecisively he stood in the middle of the corridor, flexing both hands with barely controlled anger.

_Worshippers should not be killed just like that. If he had been hungry he should have gone to the supply chambers. He has done it just for the fun of it._

Many uninspired Wraith conducted a reign of terror and oppression over the worshippers and didn't mind the occasional killing but he had always despised that. Worshippers could be ruled with subtlety and careful training, that spared both sides a lot of trouble. It didn't pay off to grow soft but neither did it pay off to treat them cruel without justification.

Worshippers were important for the organisation of a hive, they served many purposes. They could be anything from servants, cleaners, spies, emergency food supply to pets and they helped to control aggressions among the males. Like every species reproducing with male and female individuals and given their genetic closeness to humans Wraith developed a libido during puberty but as a natural reaction to the low female ratio most males subdued that part of their nature until it simply disappeared after some time. But usually the higher-ranking, ambitious males kept and nurtured the desire which was also encouraged by the Queens who liked a certain male competitiveness. If they chose to get offspring they would only pick the strongest and most resourceful males. And they would only pick males who originated from other hives to prevent inbreeding. Of course that left the high-ranking hive-born males with a very limited range of options. As long as they stayed on their birth-hive they wouldn't get the chance to mate with a female of their own kind, they either had to turn to each other or to a worshipper.

The commander was finally out of his mental range. He shielded his mind again to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. Now, and only now could he allow himself to grow concerned. _Could that have been Kala?_ He felt a cold feeling rise up inside him._ No, she was being guarded by a drone, it could not have been her._ Nevertheless he changed direction and walked towards the worshippers' quarters instead of the map room. He contacted his drone, it reported nothing out of the ordinary. Kala had entered the dormitory last night and had not left it again yet. _Still, it cannot hurt if I take a look myself. _He hissed._ What am I doing? Going out of my way to check on a human_. He managed to convice himself that he only did it because he wanted to keep track of the commander's actions and for no other reason.


	19. On Edge

They brought in two shrouded figures shortly before breakfast. Worshippers all around stopped dead in their work and stared at the solemnly entering men and the limb human-shaped bundles they were carrying. The freezing movement among the worshippers spread circular like the ripples made by a stone dropping into water, it finally reached Kala.

She stopped laying the table and looked at her frozen companions, trying to figure out what had happened. Then she saw the two bodies and understood. The last people in the room stopped chatting and it was completely silent.

Tarna stepped forward and announced in her clear voice "Ella and Rob." She looked at the assembled worshippers, her gaze lingering shortly on every single face before continuing "They were killed by a Wraith. We don't know who did it and we don't need to know. It doesn't matter because Ella and Rob would not want you to avenge them. Why am I saying this?" She paused, looking to the ground. "I'm saying this to all new ones among us who have not witnessed a worshipper killing before. It's not worth to bear a grudge against the killer, the only thing that you would achieve by that is shortening your own life. It's unfair, it's cruel but it's the way it is. You all lost the ownership of your lives the day you set foot on this ship, as did Ella and Rob."

She paused again, letting her harsh words sink in. "If this sounds unhuman to you it's because it _is _unhuman. If you want to live keep your heads down and do your jobs, that's the best advice I can give you. That said I am also sorry beyond measure and I'm not proud to be your Mistress if I can't prevent these things from happening. Every time a worshipper gets killed I have failed you." She sighed. "We will hold the funeral rites tonight after supper, everyone is welcome to attend. Now get on with your work."

Kala needed a moment to comprehend that they were dead. Her friends were dead, just like that. But why? They certainly couldn't have done anything to upset a Wraith enough to kill them. Ella was – _had been_ – far too frightened and Rob had always been obedient and helpful. She felt despair and cold fury. _Green bastards! All of them!_

Sarali came over to Kala with tears in her eyes. The hugged each other tight. "What are we doing here?" Sarali whispered. "This is no place for us. They told us worshippers wouldn't be killed, at least not just like that without reason." Kala didn't reply_. What's the point in being a worshipper if they don't honour their part of the deal?_ she thought. Her expression hardened as she noticed a tall figure in a long black coat from the corner of her eye. As she turned her head she recognised Rees standing near the entrance.

She slowly let go of Sarali and faced him. "What do you want?" she snapped.

His eyes widened for a second, then something resembling disappointment flashed across his face. "Careful, human. This is no way to adress your master," he growled. Scared and sneaky hostile looks were shot at him from all around the room but he ignored them.

"Apologies, our masters have not exactly made themselves popular this morning, I'm afraid," Kala said coldly. "Breaking arrangements doesn't help building up motivation and trust among your worshippers." She indicated the two bodies which were being carried out again.

He narrowed his eyes. "Again, be careful. My patience has limits. And not every Wraith has the habit of killing worshippers."

Deep down Kala knew that he had a point. He wasn't the one responsible for the murders, at least Kala wanted to believe that he wasn't. But nevertheless she was angry and he simply was the wrong species today. "Ella and Rob were my friends. I can't simply forget the fact that a Wraith killed them and go on with my work as if nothing has happened," she said pointedly.

"Ella," he said flatly. "So it was all for nothing. I should have known." He glowered at Kala. "I have news for you: I am a Wraith and you will follow my orders, you will stop being disrespectful now or I will have to punish you."

"What would you do? Kill me? I wouldn't be the first dead worshipper today." More and more humans were listening intently to their conversation, the atmosphere in the room became electric as the sneaky looks turned into blunt open staring. A human was challenging a Wraith, what would happen next?

"You leave me no choice," Rees said, it sounded almost regretful. Faster than any human could move he grabbed her and hurled her across the room. He didn't use much force but it sufficed for throwing her off-balance and she bumped into a wall. Before she could move she felt a firm grip on her right arm holding her in place. She looked up and saw a raised feeding hand aiming at her chest. Rees gazed down at her, he whispered barely audible "Do not force me to hurt you, Kala." _Do not defy me now, please_. Was she imagining things or did he just say that in her mind?

Kala felt dizzy and just stared back at him. _He won't kill me, he promised. Or will he?_ She blinked. Now at last she realised that everyone in the room had stopped in their tracks and was staring at them and holding their breath. One or two worshippers were unconsciously holding bread knives they had obtained from the breakfast table. _Don't you have work to do? Stop gaping at us, this is none of your business. _There was only one way to end this if she wanted to stay healthy. She lowered her head, grated her teeth and said loud enough for everyone to hear "It won't happen again, master."

The feeding hand sank out of her vision and Rees backed away. "You are still bound by my orders, you will come to me at the usual time, I will decide until then if I should punish you further," he said, equally loud.

Tarna rushed in, took in the situation and instantly clapped her hands loudly. "Back to work, back to work! Nothing here to gape at," she barked. Shaking off the tension one by one the worshippers went their way.

Unconsciously Kala rubbed her right arm where Rees had held her, she didn't look at him as he approached her again. "I hope that you are aware that this situation was dangerous, for both of us," he told her.

"You are the one with the superhuman strength, I am the one who got hurt so how could it have been both of us?" Kala replied quitely under her breath, still not looking at him. "_Master_," she added as an afterthought.

"If you cannot figure that out by yourself then maybe you are not as smart as I thought." He turned away from her. "Besides, what makes you think that you are the only one hurt?" His voice sounded toneless as he walked towards the doors.

Kala frowned and was startled out of her self-pity. She remembered something Rees had said earlier and she called after him "What did you mean, it was all for nothing?"

Rees stopped, without turning around he said "Ella was healed after the commander injured her."

"I know, that was after we all have thought she would simply be left to die because no Wraith really cares about one worshipper more or less," Kala whispered, suddenly feeling cold.

"The Wraith who healed her was me." He left the room, not looking back.

_Bloody hell._ Kala didn't know what to think or say. She sat down shakily and thought she was going to throw up. Sarali hurried to her and steadied her. "You look awful, can I get you anything?" Kala shook her head wearily. "No. No, it's okay, it's just the shock." Now she understood Tarna's warning. It was dangerous to bear a grudge against the Wraith, it lead to imprudent and painful actions.

Against Kala's objections Sarali went and brought her a glass of water. "Thanks," Kala said resignedly and took a polite sip. Sarali sat down next to her.

"That was really close, for a moment I thought he would kill you. It was very spirited of you to challenge him, spirited and painfully dumb."

Kala snorted and made a noise in her throat. "Can't disagree with you there. I wasn't sure myself if he would kill me or not. If only we had been alone, things might have been different." That was the whole point, wasn't it? _We haven't been alone. He had to punish me to keep the peace on board facing all the other humans. No matter what he would have done he would have risked a rebellion. Had he just let me be he would have lost his face and superiority, had he hurt or killed me it would have upset the worshippers even more than they already were. The atmosphere has been so tense and full of hostility, all it would have taken for me was to scream for help and there would have been a mob. _

She swallowed hard, the sip of water had turned to ice in her stomach_. That would have lead to terrible consequences, more humans would have been killed, maybe every single worshipper. And it would have cost Rees's life. The only Wraith who seems to care about worshippers. The only Wraith I would feel sorry for. He didn't want to punish me, he told me so, I've left him no choice._ Kala wrapped her arms around herself, it was deadly cold in here, wasn't it? She felt even more sick as the full force of her guilt and fear hit her. She got up and headed for the door.

"Wait! Stay here, you might collapse!" Sarali called after her but Kala just called back "I have something urgent to do and it can't wait and if I collapse so be it, I will get up again." _I need to apologise to someone right now_.


	20. Surprises

_Humans, __they are all the same. Short-sighted, short-lived, short-brained creatures who unfortunately have evolved the ability to talk. Why bother? Why bother at all to live on good terms with them?_ Hair and coat billowing around him he marched into the map room and activated the computer terminal with an impatient flick of his hand.

_They are dangerous and rebellious, we could be in the middle of a worshipper mutiny right now. That has happened __too often on many hiveships, inevitably taking huge numbers of Wraith and human lives. _He rubbed his forehead in frustration._ Maybe my brothers are right in addicting any worshipper to the enzyme, addicted humans hardly ever rebel. If only the brainwashed creatures weren't so limited in their imagination and spirit_. The thought of getting Kala addicted disturbed him deeply, it made him dismiss the idea quickly and brought him back to his senses. He gritted his teeth and swallowed a growl._ Why am I so agitated? I'm almost behaving like an irrational human myself_. He even hinted to Kala that he was hurt_. Confessing my feelings to a human, where is that going to lead?_

Breathing deeply he tried to calm down and arrange his thoughts. _I should have expected them to be upset, they tend to be in a delicate mood if one of them gets killed. Another reason to rule them with caution and not with violence_. His fingers touched the computer terminal and went through the routines automatically causing the yellow shine of holograms to light up the room while his mind still mulled over the situtaion; the translucent shapes of planets and moons passed him by unnoticed as his mind replayed it before his inner eye, time and again.

Once more he felt the sensation of utter relief as he saw Kala unharmed in the worshippers common room and his intention was to just leave again unseen. Then bitter disappointment welled up again at her harsh reaction to seeing him, it was unexpected of her to confront him. He remembered her face, her expression of disbelief as he hurled her across the room and he was angry again – angry with himself for having done that, angry with her for having forced him to do it_. Focus on the anger, better anger than remorse._

From the corner of his eye he noticed that someone was hovering by the entrance of the room and since he received no telepathic identity it had to be a human so he ignored it, hoping the distraction would simply leave. But as the presence remained in place he growled slightly annoyed and superficially scanned the human's mind signature, his eyes widening as he became aware it was Kala standing there, not daring to come in. Still pretending to ignore her he remained busy with the terminal and thought about this unexpected development.

It was surprising she had come of her own accord to him. He hadn't expected she would have the guts to chase after him._ What does she want?_

Another hologram divided the room between them, not unlike the first time they had met. For a moment he was torn between letting her make the first step and asking her what she wanted. He felt he deserved the satisfaction of seeing her squirm a bit longer but he also knew this was petty behaviour for a Wraith who was supposed to behave more maturely than a youngling human.

Deciding on a compromise he looked at her to let her know he acknowledged her presence and examined her reaction. Her restlessly twisting fingers betrayed that she was torn and nervous and an inner battle showed clearly in her face as she fought to overcome her inhibitions; obviously she had not come here for another confrontation but rather to apologise. Blinking, she steeled herself and determintaion replaced the fear in her eyes as she stepped forward and crossed the room.

_Approaching an upset Wraith, that's courageous,_ he thought. _Or dumb. Or... she has learned to trust me._ "Why do you come here and disturb my work?" he asked. "We were going to meet tonight anyway."

"This can't wait until tonight. I want to get it over with or it would drive me insane for the rest of the day."

"What is it that drives you insane?" _Tell me, I would like to hear you say it_. He kept his face blank as she needn't see his anticipation. They were alone, no one was outside; he did a quick mental sweep to make sure. _Good. No need for witnesses._

Looking at the ground she cleared her throat. "I came here to apologise. I shouldn't have dumped my anger on you. I know you aren't responsible for the deaths of my friends and I also didn't mean to put us all in danger, I was irrational and stupid. Please forgive me."

It was like music to his ears and he almost smiled but he remained outwardly calm. "That would have bothered you for the rest of the day? Because you feared I could punish you further tonight?"

"No. I don't think you would do that." She swallowed and looked into his eyes for the first time. "I apologised because I want us to stay on good terms. Not out of fear for my life – if that is what you're thinking – but because it's emotionally important to me. You are important to me."

His heart skipped a beat as the full impact of her words hit him. _She cares about me_. A pleasant, tingling excitement spread through his body and he felt an overwhelming urge to embrace and kiss her, his imagination was providing him with pictures of her melting into his arms, absorbed in his kiss… Involuntarily his hands clenched. _No, this is neither the right time nor the right place. Get a grip on yourself again._

Something must have shown on his face though because she quickly looked away and stared at the wall with rapt attention as if something extraordinarily spectacular was happening on its gnarled surface. No doubt she was wondering whether she had gone too far too soon.

For the first time in centuries he wasn't sure how to react, feeling insecure like a young Wraith choosing a worshipper for the first time. _What shall I do? How can I show her I care about her too without scaring her?_ Slowly he brought up his hand to her face and gently traced her cheekbone with his fingers. "Kala," he said softly.

Taking a deliberate breath she turned her head slightly to meet his eyes and her blue gaze merged with his amber gaze. He found himself unable to look away and was trapped by the glimpse of her soul he saw in her eyes, fragile but yet possessing a hidden edge of steel. She was like the swans he remembered seeing in her memory, pure and deceptively vulnerable, courageous and tough when cornered. _You will be mine, Kala Swanheart. Not bound by chains but by your own free will. Taming you will be my triumph_.

"I am not interrupting anything, am I?" A cold, sneering voice turned the blood in his veins to poison and time seemed to slow down. _Damn, caught like an inexperienced hatchling! _He had been so absorbed in his emotions that he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings.

The commander towered in the doorway, an unpleasant smile on his face. _Did you really think that you are the only one who knows to shield his mind?_ "I came here to see if you are making any progress. Apparently you are distracted at the moment."

Kala had to leave. He knew sending her away would be the sensible thing to do but for a moment he considered keeping her close to protect her in case the commander did something unpredictable. _No, that would draw his attention even more. I just have to trust he would not risk provoking me in a public place; it would damage not only my reputation but also his if it were to be found that we were squabbling over such a minor thing as a human. _

"Leave, Kala," he said without looking at her. The worshipper winced slightly, her eyes darted between the two Wraith indecisively for a moment before she reluctantly left while still shooting nervous glances at the commander, as if she feared he might seize her any moment.

_If only I could wipe that arrogant, knowing grin off his face. Why is it that ev__ery time I see him I want to rip out his throat?_ He narrowed his eyes and bared his sharp teeth in something that might equally have been a smile or a snarl.

"Now your distraction has left the room you should be able to brief me about the current state of your research." The commander slunk smoothly along the row of hologram projectors and ran his right hand casually over the computer terminal surface, apparently perfectly at ease, as if taking a stroll for recreation on the panorama deck. Looking at the displayed hologram with an air of utter boredom he asked, "Show me your current results, now, or there will be unpleasant consequences."

_It is already unpleasant enough having to watch my back all the time since you came to this hive._ This visit was unexpected as always. Of course his time wasn't up yet, he had one day left, and although he had done his best in refining the search he still hadn't been able to obtain acceptable information. It was inevitable; he had known right from the beginning it would be fruitless.

The prospect of being exiled felt like an abyss in his soul, but he would not go without a fight. He still had a few loyal allies among the Wraith on this ship, so he would find a way to stay – not only for himself but also for Kala. She who had come to him in his dreams, she who had taken him to her homeworld.

Images from that dream flashed across his mind… Her eyes, calm, understanding… The green hills, the endless lake, the golden light. Leaning back, basking in the warmth of the two life-giving suns. The two suns… Two suns…? Orbited by Kala's homeworld. A double star. _Can it be? Could it possible be this simple? Kala's homeworld is in a double star system. The system even has a desert planet fitting the description!_ He almost snorted with suppressed laughter that welled geyser-like inside him. _It doesn't matter, it really doesn't matter. Just tell him and buy yourself time_.

Regaining his composure he confidently brought his fingers down on the computer screen and swiftly entered the coordinates. The holographic display flickered and the present solar system was replaced by a three-dimensional image of Kala's. "I was about to contact you, commander, as my research has brought clear evidence that this system is our target," he said, every syllable a monument of unshakeable conviction while he eyed the commander condescendingly and with a faint sneer on his face.

The commander didn't quite manage to hide his surprise and for a second his arrogant smile was wiped from his face. He carefully examined the planets and moons with sceptical interest, searching for a flaw. "You are certain of this? How did you manage to reduce the numbers of possible systems to just this one?"

"Thorough research of hive territorial borders and habitability of the planets." Not one muscle in his face betrayed his excitement.

Circling the hologram slowly and examining the presumed desert planet with its three moons the commander nodded. After a time span resembling a week he drawled "So be it. I will have darts dispatched to investigate. Given the coordinates they will need 20 hours to travel through the nearest gate to the system. I do hope for your sake that they will report something useful, otherwise you should start packing things you want to take with you when leaving the hive."

He spun on his heels in his usual haughty manner and stomped out of the room. _That scum is probably disappointed because he will have to think of another way to get rid of me._ He tried to disregard the fleeting memory of the previous commander lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood in this very room. _It will not come to that. The old commander was caught unaware and I will take precautions. I have at least 20 valuable hours until the darts report from their reconnaissance mission. Until then my chances are good in convincing the Queen that I should remain on this ship, no matter what the darts find._ _He may have removed me from my post but I still have loyal subordinates, more than willing to feed information to the Queen. She will not be amused when she learns of his activities._ _She will have him watched. Commander he may be but he still has to bow before Her and she will not exile someone who guards her back._

He inhaled deeply in relief. Safe for now. The hologram was still circling in silent grace in the air, its amber shine reflecting off the walls and highlighting a spark of contentment in his eyes. _Maybe I should offer Kala a small sign of appreciation for saving me yet again_. He chuckled and strode purposefully out of the room, knowing exactly what kind of gift Kala would like.


	21. The Gift

Kala was on edge for the rest of the day; she half expected to see the commander standing in every corner, every niche she passed, reaching out to grab her and do terrible things. As evening came and she hadn't seen the commander or any other Wraith she let out a tiny breath of relief and kept shooting glances at the clock hanging for the worshippers' convenience in the canteen._ Five minutes, five endless minutes before the shifts change._ Her fingers drummed an impatient rhythm on the table.

"You're as excited as if you were going on a date." Sarali entered the room, returning from her chores in another part of the ship. Kala hadn't seen her since breakfast and looked up as Sarali asked mockingly, "Don't want to keep Wraithy waiting?"

"Laugh at me, I deserve it." Kala was already half way to the dormitory to change her clothes. "Today I did my best to place us in deadly peril – _twice_ – stupid cow that I am. I want to see if he's alright."

"Whoa, what? Could you please run 'deadly peril twice' past me again?" Sarali caught up with Kala who tossed her shirt carelessly on top of the giant heap of laundry sitting near the entrance of the dormitory. "And then the bit about you wanting to see if he's alright, if you don't mind?"

"Not now, Sarali. I'll tell you later tonight when I come back…" Kala's voice trailed off, then she shook her head firmly. "No. Pray to any deity you find appropriate he's alright and I'll get to him safely, then I won't come back tonight."

Sarali stepped back and eyed Kala who had changed and had untied her hair and was brushing it fiercely. "So you have made up your mind. Can't say I'm surprised. I wish you the best of luck and will keep my fingers crossed for you."

Kala battled against a particularly persistent knot in her hair and tugged at the brush with force, only stopping for a second to glare at Sarali. "What? Just because I want to check on him doesn't mean I want to marry him, or whatever such a bond is called."

"O-kay." Sarali raised her hands. "If you say so."

Kala hurled the brush onto her bunk, ignoring the loud thud which indicated that she had missed her aim and had hit another worshipper. Sighing, she turned to hug Sarali. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to snarl at you – I'm just very edgy today. Thank you for your good wishes."

"You're welcome." Sarali hugged Kala back, leading her gently away from the worshipper who complained about irresponsible jerks who threw their stuff at fellow humans. "Just take care of yourself whatever you do, okay?"

"I will." Turning, she fled from the worshippers' quarters.

The way to his quarters was a nightmare while she pictured the terrible things she could see when she arrived – if she ever arrived. In her mind she pictured the door shred and splintered, Rees's body lying in a pool of blood, all too like the pool she had to clean up when she met him and the commander would be standing behind the door and reach out at her, feeding hand aiming for her chest… Part of her wanted to turn around and go back to the relative safety of the worshippers' quarters, part of her wanted to sit down on the floor and cry, but the part driving her on was her stubborn optimism that growled _No, No, No,_ like a mantra.

The door was intact when she finally arrived, solid and reassuring. _Good start._ Kala knocked and tried to listen to any sounds from within the room but her own heartbeat was too loud. Three hundred years later the door opened to reveal a smug-looking Rees. As he saw her expression he lifted a brow questioningly. "What is it? You look surprised to find me here."

Kala sagged a bit and swallowed. "It's nothing. I'm just… I had a trying day." She blushed and entered the room, not looking at him and then went to the desk where she could see the now familiar data tablet.

As she reached out for the tablet she noticed a small parcel lying next to the tablet but she ignored it, pointedly making an attempt to continue her language studies and hiding her confused feelings. Rees stopped her by saying "I thought you might like to open the parcel before we continue with your lessons."

Frowning, Kala looked at the parcel again, picked it up and asked, "This is for me?" It felt nondescript and was wrapped in plain brown paper. "What is it?" She looked at Rees who had stepped up to her.

"I assume opening it will answer your question," he replied, his hands clasped behind his back while he was watching her with keen interest, eager to see her reaction. "Often a small sign of appreciation can motivate a student in many ways."

Nonplussed, Kala fumbled with the paper until one corner gave way, and tore it open, her fingers clumsy with pent up nervousness. As she removed the wrappings, her hands trembled even more when she recognised the rectangular object inside. The paper dropped out of her hands and fell to the floor.

_No. This c__an't be, it just can't. I must be mistaken._ An intricately braided leather strap was adorning the object, tightly wound around one edge to keep it closed. A book, but no ordinary one. Loosening the strap and releasing the pages Kala relished the feel of her thumb running along the edge, flicking open page after page of heavy, rough, pure white paper, perfect for sketching.

There were also pencils and brushes and ink in a small wooden box. _This is a dream, and I'm going to wake u__p any s__econd._ Her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes and she almost dropped the precious parcel on the floor – it was too much to bear. Placing the sketch-book carefully down next to her, Kala sat on the desk, rubbing the back of her hands over her eyes ineffectively, attempting to wipe away the tears streaming down her face.

"I was under the impression this gift would please you but yet you cry."

Rees was observing her with a strange glint in his eyes though he hadn't moved. Before she could stop herself, before she could give a second thought to what she was doing she jumped up and flung her arms around his neck.

She held him close and murmured "It's perfect," into his ear. "It's the best present I've ever had in my life, thank you." She could feel him breathing in sharply but he wasn't moving, he just stood there and she grew worried she might have done something very stupid. _Maybe it's against some sort of Wraith behaviour code to attack-hug a Wraith just like that._ "Sorry," she mumbled.

Feeling like an idiot she unwrapped her arms from his neck and wanted to step back but she found she couldn't because two arms appeared around her waist, two strong arms attached to a Wraith.

"No," he said quietly. "Do not feel sorry." Fearing she would see his all too familiar smug grin she hesitated to meet his eyes but he was calm and serious, his voice even as he said "Do that again. Please."

The voices inside Kala battled with each other but she didn't want to listen to them anymore – all she heard were the echoes of the word "please". _Why not? What could happen? _Crippled with sudden shyness she placed her arms around his neck and was drawn closer into the embrace as Rees' hold tightened around her waist. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of his soft hair against her cheek, his strange yet familiar scent, his steady breathing and his heartbeat, not so very different from a human's. Neither of them spoke, for there was no need for words, they stood savouring each others presence for what could have been an hour, a day or a year.

The moment had to end. Not wanting to let go she loosened her embrace and pulled away, her cheek brushing against his, but he refused to release her, though she could feel he would let her break free. Yet she found herself reluctant to move further away from him. Rees' warm breath caressing her skin felt exciting and her heart skipped a beat while she stood there, hands still on his shoulders, focused on her inner voices, looking for advice. But those ever doubtful voices were silent. Without thinking she leaned back into Rees' embrace, knowing he felt the same anticipation.

_Every choice you have made until now has lead you to this moment, right here__, right now…_

Making the final choice she closed the gap between them, tilting her head so her mouth met his, all her senses focused on the sweet moment their lips touched. For a second the unsettling image of his sharp teeth flashed across her mind but all her worries dissolved as he responded to her kiss with great care and skill, his lips soft and gentle, and she opened her mouth slightly to wholly embrace his touch and breath.

Cautiously he explored her mouth, slowly as if he wanted to encourage her to take the initiative. Arms snaking back around his neck, Kala sank into his embrace as their kiss deepened further, falling into the longing she'd held back for so long with every passing second. Becoming more confident, she pressed her lips on his almost urgently, finally sure this was exactly what she wanted – and more.

For some reason she could not explain this kiss was the most natural thing in the world. As he let his lips explore the curve of her neck it felt so very right. Bending her head to the side she offered him access to her neck while she tangled her fingers in the silky length of his hair. Nuzzling the slender column with gentle kisses, she felt a soft nip as his teeth pricked her sensitive skin, playfully capturing it before releasing it again, and a pleasant shiver ran down her spine.

"Hmmm…," she sighed, closing her eyes, relishing and surrendering to his touch while his mouth moved down her neck to her shoulder. _Don't think, just let it happen…_

Rees' hands were softly massaging her waist, moving gradually upwards along her body and she couldn't stifle a gasp as his fingertips found her breasts. Knowing thumbs traced narrowing circles around her nipples until, upon reaching the centre, hot bursts of energy released themselves, rushing through her body and extinguishing the last remnants of doubt.

The wicked lust she had restrained for so long began to pulse painfully in her belly and made her cling to Rees, pressing his firm, muscular body to her. Her breathing heavy, she digged her fingers into his flesh, revelling in his harsh, wild scent, mingled with the aroma of desire and sweat.

An unexpected, small wraithy chuckle brought her to her senses for a moment, apparently Rees was not only enjoying himself, he also thought it was funny. _You're laughing? At me? For falling into your sweet trap? Just you wait, I'm gonna show you_, she thought with a cunning glint in her eyes, then taking his face into her hands and burying her fingers in his hair, she kissed him, passionate and demanding, her daring tongue feeling its way past his dangerous teeth.

Taking him with her as she moved back, Kala aimed for the edge of the desk to lean against, as her weak knees didn't support her anymore and she fumbled for the fastenings of his heavy coat with impatient fingers. Unzipping it, she slid her hands beneath his undershirt, running her palms along his smooth bare skin, feeling his muscles tighten under her touch.

She explored his spine, stroking and caressing the sensitive ridges while he held his breath, and the sweet kiss was interrupted by a hoarse growl, almost a groan, as he clawed his fingers into her buttocks, pushing her back against the desk and lifting her up. More than willing she parted her legs when he came between her thighs and pushed his leather-clad hips against her with unexpected force, and an unrestrained moan escaped her as she felt his hard maleness pressing against her.

Relishing the suspense to the fullest and dizzy with lust, her body began to move on instinct in response to his, grinding against him in a sweet seductive rhythm, and her head sank back with a gasp… she wanted nothing more than feel him deep inside her.

Without warning he stopped and pleasure drained away, leaving Kala disappointed and confused when he broke the kiss to look her straight in the eyes, his gaze veiled with craving and his body tense with restraint. Barely audible, he rasped, "You told me you are bleeding…?"

Guilt hit her like a hammer and she went rigid. "I'm so sorry," she breathed. "I lied." Alarmed she felt his right hand claw into her chest and he growled loudly.

"Please don't. I'm sorry, really," she whispered desperately. "I was stupid, I was confused and scared." The menacing growling continued but changed its pitch and came in waves now. _He's laughing_, she realised shocked. Pulling away from him she exclaimed with indignation "You were pulling my leg!"

He grinned at her lasciviously. "I knew you were lying right from the beginning." Cold fear gripped her as his grin faded, the gleam in his catlike eyes paralysing her as his feeding hand hovered over her chest. "You cannot hide anything from me nor will you ever again."

_And here we go again._ From one second to the other there was a deep trench between them – he was the terrifying Wraith again and she was degraded to a humble human once more. _And it will always be like this. If you wish to lead this life you have to accept him for what he is, _she thought. _This is so not fair, just when everything went so well._

"I forgive you because I understand why you did it but do not ever lie to me again." Rees lifted his right hand from her chest to her cheek and touched her. "I do not want to hurt you, Kala," he said, then he kissed her forehead.

The familiar emotions, fear, doubt, disappointment and anger, were replaced by trust – and something much stronger. Kala knew he was sincere; Rees was her guardian in this harsh world full of harsh rules where a small wrong action could lead to sudden death. He only did what was his nature and what he had to do in order to survive.

_Why can't we live in a perfect world?_ she thought. _In a perfect world we wouldn't be separated by the rules of hierarchy and food chain. _Swallowing, she looked up at him_. All I can do is adapt – and do my best to make this world one tiny bit more perfect at a time. _

"I won't lie to you again, I don't have reasons anymore." Reaching up she touched his cheek, feeling his smooth skin and tracing the groove beside his nose with her thumb. He closed his eyes and growled again, not menacing but content, the low noise sending pleasant vibrations through her body. Kala understood – as long as both of them made the effort to build bridges across the chasm separating them they would be able to understand each other and have an amicable relationship, even friendship. _Or maybe even something beyond that_, she thought as he dipped his head and kissed her mouth gently.

The careful touch let her relax again and she wrapped her arms around his neck as they slowly found their way back into each others embrace.

"Do you still want to mate with me?" he whispered into her ear and she could hear him smirk.

"No," she replied. "I don't want to mate with you, I want to make love with you."

Slowly following the curve of her jaw, tender as a summer's breeze, his soft lips touched her skin, igniting fireworks inside her head and teasing her, he murmured, "There is a difference?"

"More a matter of perspective." _And right now, for me, it's all the difference in the world_, she thought while burying her face in his hair and pushing away the heavy coat from his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor with a muffled thud.

"I see," Rees was stroking her waist and pushed her shirt up as his hands glided upwards along her body. Getting rid of her own shirt she attempted to remove his, sliding her hands up his well-trained torso and tracing the curly tattoos playfully. "Come with me," he purred, picking both her hands carefully from his chest and dragging her slowly to the bed. _Good idea, _she thought while she felt his hands grasp her butt as he slowly took care of the removal of her pants, before, more quickly, he removed his own, together with the rest of their clothing.

Smiling slightly she let him lay her down on the blankets_. This is like a strange déjà-vu, only this time is so much better than the first_, she thought as joined her on the bed, hovering above her on his hands and knees, his hair brushing against her breasts.

The starlight transformed Rees into an unearthly being, terrifying and alluring, his pale skin and his silvery hair seemed to glow while the black swirls of his tattoos blended with the darkness, dissolving his contours. His eyes were no longer golden but shining deep blue and gazed intently at Kala with desire and triumph as well as hesitation.

"What is it?" she whispered. A lop-sided smile spread across his face, showing the tips of some cheeky teeth.

"Nothing to worry about, my little swan," he replied.

Kala snorted in amused surprise. _Swan? He compares me to a swan? I'm neither elegant nor beautiful. _She felt obliged to explain, "The big, white, plump birds on my homeworld are called _geese_, are you sure you don't mean one of those?"

"I know the difference between a goose and a swan." With a small chuckle he bent down to kiss her and all rational thought was wiped out. The fire in her body was blazing into life again, stronger than before, devouring everything as it fanned out, and she welcomed the sensation of his weight as he finally lowered himself on her. _Oh Mother, I don't care what he calls me as long as he keeps kissing me like this. _

Her hands explored his spinal ridge once more, the hard stubs felt unfamiliar yet fascinating and he obviously enjoyed the touch, rewarding her with vibrant growling which felt even better now there was no fabric to dull the contact between their skins. The growling became husky as he shifted his weight and pushed her legs apart with his knees, still gentle but purposeful.

_That Wraith likes to torture me_, she thought half-amused, half-desperate, when he took his time for a never-ending kiss while he held back, the head of his shaft probing her entrance, making her lift her hips to meet him with impatience. As he slid into her, slowly, savouring every second of sweet torment, Kala held her breath and her head fell back when he filled her, digging her fingers into his back.

Groaning, she surrendered and gave herself to Rees as he pulled back, enjoying the subtle touch of his hair on her sensitive skin as he moved. Lowering his head, he bit her shoulder before he pushed into her depths again, fast, the impact tingling in her bones, his mouth leaving fire on her skin as he moved down Kala's neck, along her collarbone, finding her nipples and tasting them with gentle nips. Grasping his shoulders firmly she arched her back and wrapped her legs around him as he moved deeply in her, his strangled snarl spurring her on, making her seek his mouth and kiss him, sweet and lingering, her tongue entwining with his, daring him to lose control.

She never knew anything could feel this good and she lost herself in the sensations flooding her body, in the merging of pale green and rosy skin, the physical borders between them disappearing until they were just one being, moving and breathing in unison. Feeling like liquid energy, the tension inside Kala carried her soul upwards, ever upwards to the glorious light of ecstasy, continuing until upon reaching the climax of her flight she cried out her release in a wild, unrestrained howl when she felt him spasm and reach his own peak, digging his claws into her flesh and roaring fiercely. She wrapped her arms even tighter around him as both collapsed and lay still, inseparable, clinging to each other while the remnants of passion ebbed away.

*****

Her head was lying on his chest and his deep, rumbling purr made her drowsy. He was lazily caressing her back with the tips of his fingers. "You said earlier you prefered the term 'making love' to 'mating', stating it was a matter of perspective. Does that mean your perspective about me has changed?"

"I had to make some fine adjustments to it, yes," she conceded, smiling, then swallowed, uncertain how to pose her next question, knowing she could not like the answer but still needing an answer. "What about your perspective?"

He took some time before answering. Kala already thought he might have gone to sleep and she'd have to die of uncertainty when he resumed stroking her back and murmured "My perspective about humans has not changed for several thousand years."

She sighed in disappointment. _Of course, what did I expect?_ Then she felt his hand lift up her chin and she found herself looking into his golden eyes as he continued "That does not mean I cannot learn something new though."

A hint of his usual smug smile tugged at his mouth and she smiled back half-heartedly, not knowing just how much will he had to learn but she was more than satisfied with the turn their relationship had taken. Right now she would have done anything to keep it this way, so she let her head sink back on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat until she drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and secure for the first time since what seemed an eternity.


	22. More Style

Pleased with himself and the world, he lay in bed with Kala fast asleep in his arms. She emitted gentle snores and a smile came to his lips; he hadn't felt this well for a long time, for not only did he "get the girl" as he heard male humans say, but also a large chunk of his worries had dissolved into nothing.

The Wraith remembered how he had been ordered to see the Queen. The first reports from the dart expedition had arrived, and the Queen and her commander were on the bridge to receive the subspace transmission from the leader of the survey mission who reported, voice heavily distorted by subspace interferences, that the crew had indeed discovered an enemy science lab. It soon became clear though it wasn't the facility they had been looking for but the find was important enough.

The commander had acknowledged the reports with unveiled resentment – he had lost doubly. Neither did he get the demanded facility nor could he get rid of his hated subordinate. Even worse – the Queen had reinstated said subordinate to his previous post as Head of Intelligence.

Sighing in relief, he closed his eyes. They were safe for now, safe enough to make the decision he had been avoiding for a long time, the one that would irrevocably change both their lives.

As if she had known he was thinking of her, she stirred in her sleep, turning over and snorting drowsily. Unknown and sweet emotions, slightly unsettling, overcame him as he watched her shuffle into a comfortable position. _Now she is mine_, he thought with pride before he fell asleep himself.

o o o

The harsh, cold-white sunshine of early morning filtered through the window and Kala woke as the light pierced her eyelids. Blinking, she stretched lazily._ Hm, this feels good_, she thought before curling up in the warmth of her blanket again.

_When did I last see the sun? It feels like ages. Now look, it's right ahead – or underneath, or above – this is space, so it doesn't really matter._ Absurd, childish joy gripped her, she could have hugged the whole world. _This is beautiful, I would never have seen this had I stayed on my homeworld._

Just outside the window she saw the planet they currently orbited, a lush, green world with wisps of clouds swirling gracefully their eternal dance in the atmosphere, and a blinding white-yellow halo was setting the planet's edge on fire, foretelling the rising of the sun.

When Kala felt Rees stir at her back, she turned, careful she didn't wake him, her body casting shade across his form as he lay facing her. Shifting her body slightly, she allowed the morning light to illuminate his face while taking care to keep his eyes shaded. _There are worse sights to wake up to_, she thought, admiring the millions of tiny sparks the light painted on his silvery hair. Curious, she bend forward, intrigued by the obvious physiological differences between them, taking the chance to examine him in clear sunlight.

Her eyes explored the sharp features of his brows and cheekbones, the facial slits and streamlined nose that made him resemble a sleek, predatory fish; the waxy surface of his pale skin, warm and soft to the touch despite its appearance, the delicate pattern of dark veins contrasting with his skin… All these traits could be considered ugly by human standards and yet, in their entirety they gave him a hypnotic beauty that fascinated the beholder.

A tiny movement drew her attention to his tattooed arm, slender but muscular, bearing superhuman strength and able to claw any opponent to shreds, and yet able to gently caress sensitive skin.

Kala's body still remembered his tender touch and she closed her eyes as the sensations of last night washed over her again. No matter what the future held, she would always treasure this memory. _Who would have guessed I'd have the best night of my life with a Wraith?_

The thought sobered her up instantly, and she got the unpleasant feeling that she was coming up with reasons, for the sake of self-preservation, to like him. Unwelcome memories of stories from her homeworld came to mind; stories about victims attracted to their abductors, and she wondered if she was falling into the same trap.

_Would I feel the same fondness for him if my life didn't depend on him, if we had met as equals?_ Inhaling deeply, she shook her head inwardly. _Don't go there, it's no use. You will never know what would have been – focus on what is now. _

The thoughts kept swirling round and round in her mind, a whirlwind of fuzzy emotions, waiting to be stopped and sorted out. _What do you feel for him anyway? Affection? – 'Yes'. Obligation? – 'Yes'. Desire? – After last night make that a big, bold, double 'Yes'. Fear? – No… not of him, but of doing something wrong._

A small noise startled her; Rees inhaled deeply and stretched slowly like a waking cat. One golden eye blinked at Kala, the slit pupil narrowed as reaction to the brilliance.

"Good morning," she said after a moment's hesitation. Instead of an answer he gave her a sleepy smile. "With my people it's the custom to greet one another after waking up. How do you greet a Wraith?" she asked to mask her shyness.

His smile broadened. "Well, there are numerous possibilities to greet a Wraith in the morning. A kiss for example is always welcome."

Now it was Kala's turn to smile. "Something else we have in common." She bent forward and kissed his forehead lightly.

"A bit lower would be better," he murmured. Accepting his game she moved her mouth down and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Like this?" she asked full of mischief, her mouth close to his lips and her breath merging with his.

"Better but not yet sufficient," he replied critically. "It is expected of a worshipper to show more effort, after all." Showing a toothy grin he purred, "Once more, still a bit lower."

With an exaggerated sigh she gave in. "Alright, for a change I'll be obedient and do whatever my master wishes."

An unsettling glint flashed in his eyes, making her wonder if she had gone too far. Still grinning, he observed her attentively. _It's just a game, he only wants to play with me,_ she told herself, trying to ignore the anxiety._ The only way out is forward._

Closing her eyes in anticipation, she kissed his mouth, realising that she wanted it as much as he did when their lips touched. The kiss became deep and passionate; he drew her close and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Drowsily relishing the touch, Kala moved slowly in his arms, her body rubbing against his, taking in his warmth and closeness, while he took his time to caress every square inch of her skin with experienced hands, and Wraith and human were united by desire in the early light of an alien sun.

o o o

Kala savoured the warm water of the shower, feeling relaxed and energetic at once, ready to start the day, no matter what it brought. A slight aching in her stomach region also reminded her that it was high time for breakfast to be served in the canteen.

Thoroughly, she washed away all treacherous traces of scents in case – Mother, prevent! – she ran into the commander. The unpleasant thought was soon washed away; her mood was far too good to be ruined by that green son of a bitch.

Lively, she hopped back into the living room. Rees had gotten up and stood at the window, a towel wrapped around his hips, and gazed absentmindedly at the planet outside.

There were no fresh clothes waiting for her so Kala began looking for her old ones and was trying to remember where her trousers had wound up last night when she sensed a draught in her back and two hands placed themselves on her hips. Involuntarily she jerked in sudden alarm.

"Incidentally, do you know it's pretty scary when you sneak up on me like that?" Kala asked, as she felt Rees's warm breath in her neck.

"You are the first to point that out," he replied good-humoured. "Most humans don't dare to. Or they don't have time for it left."

Against her will, Kala chuckled, knowing it wasn't meant to be a threat. _Wraith humour. You better get used to it. _

"I thought I mustn't smell of you," she objected – halfheartedly when she felt his warm body nestling up against her, holding her tight. _All effort is wasted and I have to wash again_, Kala sighed inwardly. _But I don't give the slightest damn; this feels so good I'd gladly shower again and again…. _

"That was yesterday. Today, things have changed. Today, every Wraith on board this ship is allowed know you have been with me," he murmured.

Something in his voice caught her attention but she couldn't put her finger on it. Reluctantly, she pulled away from him.

"Tarna will go ballistic at me if I'm not in the kitchen and reporting for duty in fifteen minutes."

Rees didn't try to hold her back; he simply observed her picking up his clothing from the floor, as she grew more hectic by the second.

"My underwear has got to be here somewhere," Kala muttered nervously, straightening and placed the heavy black coat onto the bed. "Have you seen my clothes?" she asked Rees, who was watching her with folded arms, his eyes half-closed.

"It's not necessary for you to continue searching, I had your garments removed and disposed of," he said with irritating calmness.

In round-eyed bewilderment she stared at Rees. "So, what am I supposed to wear?" she burst out. "In case you have fresh clothes for me in store, now would be the perfect moment to hand them over."

"There are none," he almost snarled, his voice firm, allowing no defiance, and Kala swallowed her insolence.

Instead she pointed at her naked self and asked confused "How will I get to the worshipper's quarters like this?

"You will never wear the rags of a domestic slave again," he hissed in disgust, with that familiar dangerous glint in his eyes as he unfolded his arms and sauntered over to her, his golden gaze fixed upon her face. "I expect my personal worshipper to dress with style."

The meaning of his words hit Kala with force, her features went blank and she stared at him in disbelief. Of course she had hoped and feared it would come to this some day but still it caught her unaware after they had put so much effort into keeping their relationship secret.

A slow smile spread across his face when he saw her reaction but before she could reply he became serious. "From this day on you will no longer live in the worshippers' quarters but here with me. You will be my servant, day and night, and you will fulfil the tasks I set for you. You will continue your studies of Wraith script and culture, so you will be able to assist me. Are you ready for this responsibility?"

Kala nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am." A thick lump of unspoken emotions blocked her throat. _He didn't ask me if I want to… _

"There is also bad news," he continued. "Since I will not require your presence all day you will have to find a way to spend several hours off-duty at a time. On those occasions I recommend you dedicate yourself to your art or see your human friends and make yourself useful. I am sure you will live up to this expectation."

"I will not disappoint you." Finally Kala was able to smile. She bit her lower lip, unsure what to do next for his stance was cold and aloof, his face betraying nothing.

"Very well." With a nod he turned towards the bathroom. "Get dressed now. When I return we will perform the ritual that seals the bond."

Before Kala could object that she still had nothing to wear, he opened a wall panel, revealing a well-filled wardrobe. He left her alone without another glance and soon the noise of cascading water from the shower filled the small quarters.

Examining the contents of the wardrobe, Kala whistled in approval – Rees was a Wraith of good taste. His definition of style tied in neatlessly with Kala's own and she had no difficulty picking a new set of clothes from the variety of trousers, shirts, corsets and coats. The underwear she discovered in a drawer brought a smug smile to her lips. It possessed a subtle shine that would empathise her curves and it felt smooth and comfortable on her skin. _Oh, yes… That's definitely an improvement. _

While she donned a low-cut buckskin shirt and black leather pants, she wondered about the ritual he mentioned. _What kind of ritual can that be? Will we exchange rings or will he carry me over his doorstep? Not likely, that would hardly be the appropriate behaviour for a Wraith adopting a new pet_. A noise from the bathroom doorway interrupted her thoughts.

Rees emerged, fully clothed. He looked stunning, the light behind his back casting a halo around him as he strode over to her regally, every inch dignified. His cold eyes scrutinised her appearance from top to bottom, then he nodded curtly, acknowledging her outfit as adequate.

Feverish, Kala tried to recall everything she had heard from other worshippers – as far as she could remember none of the personals ever breached the subject of how they got bonded with their Wraith.

Her heart was hammering in her chest in anxious anticipation; she was so tense she jerked as Rees spoke.

"Kneel."

The single quiet word had the same force as if he'd roared at her, and she gaped at him in shock. _You're kidding me, right? I have never kneeled before anyone – not even a Wraith_. A glance at his stern face told her he was dead serious. Unable to look into his eyes, she fixed her gaze on the floor so he wouldn't see the defiance in her eyes.

Reluctant, she knelt and cursed herself for her naiveness – _What did you expect, affection? This is about dominance, obedience and no wonder I've never heard anyone speak of it – it's humilitating! _

When nothing happened, Kala shifted, uneasy. She asked herself if this was a test of her patience, and resisted the urge to groan in annoyance – why did you never know what you were in for with a Wraith? Rees still remained motionless, and her fury receded to be replaced by curiousity, and she looked up.

Rees's eyes were fixed on her, distant, revealing nothing. Yet, as she observed him closely, she caught hints of emotion flickering in the golden depths – triumph, as she had expected, but also doubt.

_For all his superiority, this is special and he is as nervous as me._ The realisation gave her courage, and it struck her there would be no turning from this point – whatever happened would bind them both irrevocably. It was overwhelming, but she steeled herself, gathering every grain of strength she could and met his gaze, proud and fearless.

Giving a nod of acknowledgement, he took a deep breath and spoke, his voice ringing loud and clear.

"Recite:

Every day, I will fulfil my master's bidding.  
Every minute, I will give my best to please him.  
Every second of my life belongs to my master,  
for him to use in whatever way he pleases.  
From now on, in every waking moment, for the rest of my life."

Wordless anger formed an icy knot in her stomach as she thought that her fears were justified after all. _This is it, then. I will be his slave; totally at his mercy – until the day he decides to end my life._ For a second she considered getting up and leaving. _Who forces me to do this? I am free to go, he wouldn't stop me, I'm sure. _

It was then, Kala realised she had discovered the secret of becoming a personal – you had to give up everything, including your life, voluntarily. _It just requires another form of strength_, she told herself firmly. _No turning back. _

Trying to keep her voice steady, Kala repeated the oath word for word. Rees seemed relieved when she had finished.

"Rise," he said.

Without taking her eyes from him, Kala rose. She sensed the movement and saw it from the edge of her vision, but didn't dare break eye-contact. A warm, light pressure on her chest told her his right hand sat there and her breathing sped up. _Stay calm; he won't harm you. This is just a symbolic gesture, a proof of trust. _

The uncertainty was gone from his face as he declared, with careful emphasis, in his rich, multi-layered voice,

"Every day, I will treat you with fairness and according to your nature.  
Every minute, you will be under my protection.  
Every second, I will treasure your service  
and increase your life whenever possible.  
Your life is precious to me and I will not take it heedlessly, in part or whole."

Touched by the gravity of the moment, Kala felt special, and her skin goosebumped with the last echoes of his purring voice. The only thing to spoil the moment was the word 'heedlessly' – the oath would have been better without it, but… Stinging, crushing pain flooded through her body, and out. _So much for symbolic gestures_, flashed over her mind before her thoughts were lost in agony.

_Let go; do not fight it…_ his voice rang in her head, clear and calm. _The more you fight the more it will hurt. _

_You can talk!_ she hissed back at him, fighting with all force against the draining of her energy. _I'm dying; do you think that's fun? _

_Trust me… Let go… _

At the centre of the storm, Rees's voice was alluring, restful, and Kala gave up the resistance to leave her body and follow the telepathic conduit. Free of all physical restraints, she realised the intensity of the pain lessened the closer she got to him. All around her was the essence of his spirit, tangible, and through his eyes she saw the withering hulk of her body – slowly falling into decay, and perishing.

_Is this really necessary?_ she asked him. _It hurts._

_It has to be like this, for only now is the connection strong enough,_ he replied indifferently.

_Strong enough? What for?_ Even though the pain was but a distant echo, Kala grew nervous.

Rees didn't answer immediately, but as he talked his tone was insistent, _To show you what you need to know. To seal the bond. _His voice still echoed in her mind, relentless and cold, as she watched her own body die a horrible death. _Look, Kala. Look very closely. What do you see?_

Confused and dizzy, Kala lost her sense of who or where she was, until she found a familiar stream of energy and followed it to its source.

Euphoria washed over her as the energy flooded into her muscles, organs and every cell of her body, making her whole body tingle. It centered in her hand – the entrance for the life force. A deep, rapturous growling freed itself from her throat, and in delight she threw back her head, long, silvery hair following her movement.

A multitude of odours attacked her senses, leather, body fluids and the strong stench of fear emitted by the frail creature before her, now mere skin and bones.

The scent was exciting and repugnant at once, making her hiss in disdain. She was so much stronger, it would be but a small deed to kill this feeble thing, and every fibre longed to drain even the last drop of energy out of this human. To still the mad craving and uphold the ecstasy for a little bit longer.

Clawing her fingers deep into withered flesh, she was determined to finish it, but something held her back. A small part of her took control and the current stopped abruptly.

_This is enough_, a strangely familiar voice said in her mind.

The life force she absorbed circulated strong in her body, and she breathed heavily, filling her powerful lungs. At once, she was aware of her body – the lithe body of a predator, with muscles of steel, perfect vision and sense of smell, telepathy… She had never felt so powerful.

In that moment, knowledge and consciousness she'd gleaned over thousands of years while she had worked, lived and hibernated on board this ship with her brothers became evident. A low, throbbing presence in her mind, her brothers' emotions and thoughts soothed and reassured. Never alone, it was integral to her sense of self.

Countless times she had ventured out with the others to cull, to gain food for the hive, and faces appeared in her memory – thousands of faces of humans she had killed. But for her, the only thing worth remembering was the satisfaction she had drawn from those creatures.

Creatures like the one standing before her now, with glazed eyes gazing into nothingness.

_She deserves to live…_ There was that voice again.

_Why?_ she demanded haughtily. _It's only a human._

_She has sworn the Oath and will become a true worshipper. Give her back what is rightly hers_. The voice allowed no defiance.

Unwilling, she gathered the surplus of life force and focused it on her feeding hand, releasing it into the human's body, and for a moment she was utterly disappointed as the sweet energy left her, then she heard the voice again. It sounded elated and triumphant.

_Of course you are disappointed, you cannot feel everything in this body now that you're about to leave. You can't feel the flow of giving, but I can and it's almost as good as taking._

Something pushed her forward gently and once again she felt dizzy – above was below and yellow was blue, red smelled of flowers and the air felt like birdsong.

Greedily Kala sucked in air, like someone surfaced from a great depth, and she was overcome with relief and joy. _What just happened? Who am I? _Confused she thought she had returned to the wrong body until she realised Rees was standing before her, appearing more solid and with a faint glowing aura that seemed to surround him.

His telepathic presence was stronger than ever. Kala could sense his every thought and emotion and no barrier separated her from his delight and genuine affection. Without thinking she lowered her mental shields, inviting him to share her feelings in return, and she felt his mind melt into hers. When something warm and wet ran down her cheeks, Kala realised she was crying, not able to cope anymore with the combined strong emotions.

As Rees removed his hand from her reborn skin and the flow of life force ceased, the connection dimmed, leaving Kala with a sense of loss. Closing her eyes, she could still feel the distant shadows of his emotions – contentment, pride and awe.

What they experienced was unique – even for Rees – that much Kala knew. Part of her wanted to touch him, hug him, kiss him, but another part paralysed her, afraid, a physical touch might destroy this sacred moment and turn it into something mundane.

Rees delivered her from that decision by backing away, his shoulders sagging and his pose relaxed. "It is done, we are tied and my claim on you is everlasting. A small part of you now knows what it means to be Wraith."

"And a small part of you knows what it means to be human…?" Kala hoped the connection had influenced him as much as her, but instead of an answer she only got his sudden confusion over the mental link they shared, before he shut her out, broadcasting irritation.

"It is time to begin the day. Go now and collect all belongings you will need and deposit them in your wardrobe," he instructed her with a casual motion to said wardrobe. "I will be away for several hours, you have plenty of time before I require your services."

Embarrassed, Kala looked away; she always had troubles to deal with his formality, and she was still deeply in turmoil. It would take her a long time to process the experience; even now, bit by bit, pictures sprang to her mind that weren't her own, pictures hard to comprehend and hard to bear.

"You will wear this." His voice brought her back to the present. Rees was dangling a necklace in front of her eyes, a short, plain leather band with a circular pendant, made to fit tightly around the neck.

_To not hinder access to the feeding spot_, Kala thought sarcastically.

She had seen necklaces like this before – many personals wore them. Either a necklace or an armband, some few only wore rings, but what all these different items had in common was that they represented an ownership, for everyone in plain sight to see.

Rees stepped behind her, laying the band around her slender neck, the leather smooth and tight against her skin, and for a moment she felt like a dog about to be put on a lead. _Don't think about it, you'll only descend into shame_, she advised herself. _If it's necessary to wear it you will wear it with pride._

"Never take it off when you are outside these quarters. It indicates to other Wraith you are taken and it contains a tracking device. As long as you wear it I will always know where you are." Rees had locked the clasp and was carefully adjusting the band where it had wound the wrong way.

Kala didn't know whether it was her stiff posture or if he had read her mind, but something made him turn her to face him, his eyes intently on hers.

"This necklace is not only for my control but also for your protection, you must never forget that. Not every Wraith on board this ship is as tolerant as me."

"I know… It's not just the necklace…" Kala hesitated, sighing heavily. "Everything is confusing and strange. My body feels weird, as if it wasn't mine. And I've seen things…" She shuddered. "Horrible things, I shouldn't have seen. They will haunt me for the rest of my life." She looked around wildly as if she expected something would attack her any second, and hugged herself as the alien memories returned. Not looking at the Wraith she whispered, "What I've experienced was heaven and hell in one go – and I don't know which was scarier."

Silently, he looked down at her for a moment, his hands gentle on her shoulders. "It might have been scary but it was necessary for you to comprehend the importance of our pledge. You will have to learn to deal with it, the sooner the better."

There was nothing to add. Kala sensed the conversation had ended and she wouldn't hear anything more from him. Now it was her challenge to get accustomed to her new life, and to find out how much of her was still Kala – and how much of her had become Wraith. Turning around, she headed for the door, discouraged and feeling alone.

"Kala."

Hand reaching for the door opener, she froze and looked round. Rees had followed her and held her back.

"One remaining advise: stay alert and careful, always, whatever you do out there. I am now responsible for your actions. If you make a mistake while you are acting on my orders, I have to explain myself, and the consequences could be fatal – for both of us. Whatever one of us does affects the other, keep that in mind."

_How could I ever forget to be cautious on this ship, surrounded by potential death?_ "I will take care," she replied solemnly.

Accepting her promise with a nod, he let go of her, and once more Kala stretched her hand towards the door opener when Rees wrapped his arm around her waist, shoving her backwards until she felt the wall behind her, his firm body pinning hers against the gnarly surface.

"You have forgotten something," he purred. "If it is custom with your people to greet one another it surely is also customary to say goodbye?"

Before Kala was able to answer he already bent forward and kissed her, possessive and hard, his teeth pricking her lips almost painful. Taken by surprise, Kala tensed up until she found her way into the rough touch and her body relaxed in his arms. The harsh display of wraithy fondness dragged her back from her brooding and anchored her in the here and now.

_It's okay, I'm all yours_, she thought, slightly amused, as she responded to his kiss. _But thanks for reminding me. _

His grasp loosened and the kiss became much gentler as he released her, smiling his toothy smile. "You are not alone, Kala," he whispered when he opened the door for her and motioned her to leave.

Kala couldn't help but smile in return as she left, a sad, little smile but carrying hope. _One thing I know for sure, living with him will never get boring – even if he lets me live for a hundred years. _


	23. Of Wraith and humans

"_Take a break, or else your head will burst. You're revising since early morning." Naro ambled down the uneven steps, a full water flask dangling from her chubby hands, and sat down heavily beside Kala on the grassy shore of the lake. _

_Sighing, Kala put away the book she had been reading. "Of course you don't have a notion of the importance of this exam. You small-brained nuisance wouldn't think of going to the academy," she sneered, voice dripping with fake condescension. _

_"Oh, but of course, you are so much better than me, Lady Wiseass. Would you like to have a sip of my mundane water nonetheless?" her sister retorted, unimpressed, and both burst out laughing._

"_Thanks." Kala took the offered flask and drank greedily. _

_Naro bent forwards, picked up a small pebble and threw it into the shallow water of the lake where it sank with a wet plunc. "Are you able to revise at all today? I was sure you'd be too distracted," she said with a cheeky grin._

"_I don't have the slightest idea what you could be talking about," Kala lied, grinning. _

_"Tolon," Naro chirped, exaggerating her pursed lips and batted her eyelashes until she looked like a demented owl. "Tolon, oh, Tolon, beautiful, pretty Toooooolon."_

_Kala rolled her eyes in exasperation as Naro sidled__over to her__, __showering Kala__with questions. "How was the date? It must have been good because you didn't return home last night. I want to know everything, every single dirty detail." Looking like the very definition of attentiveness, Naro stared expectantly at Kala. _

"_First of all, it's not ladylike to talk of such things, and second, you're not even an adult yet," Kala replied calmly. Naro was only seventeen, with her people a woman had to be twenty to be considered an adult. Kala herself, counting twenty-five years, was long since an independent and fully acknowledged member of their society. _

"_Spoilsport," Naro grumbled with a pout. "Grant me just the one treat. No one ever asks _me_ out for a date." _

_Kala remained silent. Naro wasn't exactly beautiful. Oh, she wasn't ugly, her features were charming enough, but her built was small and more than a bit on the pudgy side, thanks to the fruit pies Naro loved so much. Kindly, Kala soothed her. "Some day someone will ask you out, I'm sure."_

"_Yeah, sure," Naro said without conviction. "Come on, better tell me about Tolon. Will you marry him?" _

_The absurd idea made Kala laugh. "No, I most definitely won't marry him. He's nice and handsome enough but I wouldn't want to spend the rest of my life with him. That requires far more of… well, of everything." _

_Naro, as always, was thinking rainbows and butterflies. "Aww, such a shame. You two would be such a pretty couple. I can just see it! You two standing in the temple by the lake, sunset gilding the gentle waves…" She closed her eyes and spread her hands wide to describe the invisible scene. "The sunlight glistens on the rubies in your hair and flower garlands decorate your traditional silken dress… the entire assembly sighs in delight when Tolon takes your hand and shares the traditional wine with you…" _

"_Will you stop it all right?" Groaning, Kala let herself sink backwards into the warm grass. "If – and I hope you get this – I were to marry someone, sometime in the far, far future, then it'll certainly be a very small and private event. No big party." _

"_Boooooooring." _

"_Pfff, suit yourself." Kala stuck her tongue out at Naro and both laughed once more, the sound mingling with the hoarse squawk of a flock of ducks flying by, low above the sparkling surface of the lake. _

That was three years ago, many things had happened since then.

_Now look what has become of me, Naro_, Kala thought wistfully. _We can plan whatever we want, destiny will always play by its own rules. I never got to marry Tolon, no matter how much you'd have loved that. I married a Wraith instead._

oOo

Things were not going well. If he didn't take steps soon, 700 years on board this ship would be wasted – painstaking centuries in which he had earned the Queen's trust and respect, cumulating in becoming her commander less than a week ago, which would cease to exist.

Outwardly proud and calm, the Wraith's demeanour betrayed nothing of his outrage and frustration as he stood on the bridge, his eyes fixed on an unhappy technician. The younger Wraith at the comm terminal sat slightly hunched and blinked nervously, obviously unsure how to phrase his next words.

"I am not sure I understood your orders, please confirm," he requested.

"The recon mission is to be aborted. All darts will return to the hive immediately and the leading officer must report to me as soon as he sets foot on the ship," the commander repeated with an impatient hissing undertone.

Unhappy with the order, the technician's fingers twitched as they hovered over the terminal. The expression on his face clearly indicated to the commander he would have preferred this order to come from the Queen, yet he did what he was told.

The commander nodded. _No one_ dared to question his authority – it was a good feeling and he had no intentions of letting that human-loving scum get away with it. _Head of Intelligence, indeed. Let us see how intelligent you really are. _

oOo_  
_

Don't feel safe. Never let your guard down, no matter how good things look – _especially_ when things look good. There is always a dagger hiding in the shadows, ready to strike you down when you become weak and inattentive.

_Always alert_ was the credo of his life and it had served him well, from the day he had hatched in the ship's womb up till now, more than 5000 standard years later. Yet this morning, it was incredibly hard to be alert and focused. Teasing memories were constantly floating to the top of his consciousness, intoxicating and full of sweetness. The fragrance of her hair, like wild flowers, the soft touch of her skin and the tender expression in her eyes when they mated this morning. _Made love_, he corrected himself and a smile came to his lips.

Deep down he knew it was unnatural and he would have to pay a painful price for his feelings some day. Even if life on the hiveship should prove to be peaceful – which was highly unlikely – she was by no means a companion to last a lifetime. Humans were fragile and he was aware that, even if he did everything within his powers to keep her alive, it was very probable she'd die of some cause – natural or unnatural – before he did, leaving him behind with loss and desperation. He had undergone this hurtful process a couple of times before and always recovered, but he knew when the day came for Kala he would be struck down beyond imagination.

Nothing lasts forever. No one knew that better than a Wraith.

But this was not the time to dwell on sadness and misery. Knowing how short life was, he intended to enjoy every second of it for the time being. There was a distinct spring in his step as he walked towards the transporter at the end of the corridor. A flash from the machine indicated it was in use, and then a Wraith Rees knew well materialised in the small chamber – a trusted and loyal assistant.

Upon seeing Rees, the newcomer inclined his head in respect. "How fortunate that I meet you here, I was searching for you. I may have discovered something that may interest you," he said and produced a data storage device from a hidden pocket, handing it over. "I recommend you process the data in private and not at a public terminal."

As Rees took the device from his assistant's hands a telepathic warning flashed in his head – a mental image of the commander, nothing more. It sufficed to make him wary. _Thank you. _He nodded to his subordinate, who continued on his way as if nothing had happened.

_Now this is promising._ Weighing the device in his hand he decided to investigate as soon as he could gain access to his own computer.

oOo

Upon entering the worshippers' quarters, Kala was almost run over by Sarali who was carrying a giant pile of laundry in her arms.

"Oops, sorry! Didn't see you there, " Sarali called out and was about to turn away when she looked into Kala's face and astonished recognition dawned in her eyes. "Kala!"

Dropping the laundry on the floor without further ado, Sarali gaped at Kala, took hold of her shoulders and turned her around, examining her from top to bottom. "I didn't recognise you in those posh togs. Well, look at that, I never knew you were this pretty," she teased.

"Really?" Kala inquired, one eyebrow raised accusingly at Sarali who grinned.

"It suits you well. I'm glad you made your decision. Life will improve for you now, and I'm sure you will be happy with your green lover. Well, as happy as you can get on a hiveship anyway."

"Thank you." Moved by the sincerity, Kala embraced her friend. Sarali's light-hearted attitude was the best remedy for all kinds of troubles. Nonetheless she would have to break the more unwelcome news to Sarali. "You won't like this bit… I came to gather my stuff and move out – he demands that I live with him."

Disappointment spread over Sarali's face but she caught herself quickly. "Hm, I suppose that was to be expected. We won't see you around as often then, huh?"

"He gives me the freedom to visit you when I'm off-duty, you're not getting rid of me anytime soon," Kala replied.

"Maybe he simply doesn't want you to get on his nerves all day," her friend mused with a grin. "Nah, kidding, I'm glad he won't hog you." Sarali bit her lip, apparently battling with a question. Bending over to Kala she whispered, "What's he like? I mean, when you're alone?"

Averting her gaze with a smile, Kala inhaled deeply, thinking of a way to put it politely. "Sometime we will talk, Sarali. But not now, and not today." She found herself unable to talk about her relationship with Rees – her inner turmoil still needed to be sorted and she didn't even want to share the most trivial things at the moment. "I don't know how much time I have. It's best I gather my stuff quickly and tell Tarna so I can go back."

"I'll help you." Sarali hollered over her shoulder, already on the way out. "Hang on, I'll just take the laundry away."

Kala went to her small cupboard in the dormitory and looked over the sparse items inside. It wasn't much – only the things she'd had with her when the Wraith came. A leather purse with some money, the necklace her parents had given her when she'd passed the exam at the academy, featuring an Athosian bluestone, smooth and gleaming softly with an inner fire. The last item was her old worn and smudged miniature sketchbook that held a swan feather she'd used as a marker. Browsing idly through the pages she caught glimpses of her former life, preserved between the strokes of brush and pencil. Sighing, she closed the small book – her life would continue but the motifs had changed.

None of Kala's old clothes existed anymore, destroyed when she'd arrived. Their loss striked her as sad, now that she was holding the remnants of home in her hands, but she knew it could not be helped – her immersion into this new life was complete.

After storing all her belongings in her bag, she closed it with a determined pull on the cords and threw it over her shoulder.

Tarna stood in the entrance of the kitchen, as she made her way past it, hands on her hips, fluently rebuking a sheepish-looking young man, apparently because he'd forgotten to take the fresh vegetable supplies to the cold storage room.

_What a ni__ce set up for having my talk with her_. _I miss her kind words of encouragement already_, Kala thought with sarcasm.

Relieved, the culprit stole away when Tarna had finished her speech, and the small Mistress of worshippers spun around, ready to face her next victim. When she found herself face to face with Kala, she demanded brusquely, "What do you want? I expected you to be in the kitchen."

Awkward silence settled in when Kala tried to think of a reply and Tarna sized up her subordinate's new outfit, paying special attention to the telltale necklace.

"Ah, so this is it then," Tarna murmured gruffly. "I suppose you come to take your leave."

Kala's answer was a relieved nod, though Tarna still observed her with sharp eyes, like a hawk.

"I hope he treats you well," the Mistress grumbled.

"Yes, he does." Kala shrugged with a smile. "I guess I'm lucky."

Tarna's hawk-like gaze hit Kala square in the face. "You have no idea how lucky."

"He even gives me the freedom to come and visit you, I could still help out occasionally," Kala offered, causing Tarna to smile ruefully.

"If I'd get a coin for every time a fresh personal has said that to me I'd be the richest woman in the galaxy. Once you're a personal you never come back to help." Switching the topic unexpectedly, Tarna inquired, "Are you alright? The rite can be taxing."

Sarali arrived just in time to catch the word 'rite' and barged in excitedly. "Rite? There's a rite? Woooo."

"Well, kind of," Kala replied without enthusiasm. She certainly didn't want to go into details. "We took an oath and that's about it."

Before Sarali could ask further Tarna straightened up and lifted her eyebrows. "Kala? A word, please. In private."

"Of course." Kala followed Tarna out of the room, looking questioningly back at Sarali. But the only answer she got from Sarali was an apologetic shrug. "Dunno," her friend mouthed.

Tarna shooed Kala into an empty storage room and closed the door. She began to speak even before she had fully turned to Kala. "You know you shouldn't talk about it, do you? The rite?"

"Hell, yes!" Kala shot back. "I would never go into any detail. The humiliation–"

"I wasn't talking about humiliation, Kala," Tarna snapped. At Kala's puzzled expression, she elaborated. "You said 'we took an oath', '_we_' being the important word."

Kala was at a loss for words; she had no idea what Tarna was on about. "Why, yes. You take an oath, he takes an oath and then he almost kills you. Isn't that the normal way?"

"No, it isn't." Tarna's piercing gaze hit Kala as she continued. "He has sworn to protect you, hasn't he? You need to know it's far from common that a Wraith takes the oath; it's usually just the worshipper who pledges their devotion. But if a Wraith lowers himself to be bound by the oath, that means you are very special to him. Be careful who you tell about that."

Barely listening to Tarna's last words, Kala stared into nothing, as a whole new dimension of her relationship with Rees unfolded. _I am more special to him than I imagined._ Another thought to process alone and in peace.

"How do you know about these things? No one talks about the rite," she inquired.

Tarna sagged. "Child, I have been alive for longer than you can imagine, and I have heard and witnessed the same old stories over and over again. Believe me when I say, your relationship is special. Treasure it and nurture it." An unfamiliar softness glowed in Tarna's eyes as she beheld something only she could see – far, far away and long gone.

"But how… Oh, wait…" Kala began, then it all became clear. " You know from experience. A Wraith has sworn the same oath to you."

When she answered, Tarna's voice was barely audible. "In another life, yes."

Afraid to destroy the gravity of the moment, Kala only whispered, "What happened? Tarna, how old are you?"

Tarna's eyes were clouded as she answered. "It no longer matters what happened, he is long dead. How old I am? I don't know and I don't care. After the first few centuries age stops to matter. Sometimes I even forget I am human. That's why I'm here and work with you – it keeps me sane. But in moments like this, when the memory comes back… I feel tired, and hollow."

Suddenly old and forlorn, the Mistress of worshippers had nothing of the whirlwind left about her and Kala didn't know how to help. "Tarna… I'm so sorry. I didn't know–"

"Don't." Tarna held up a hand. "Don't be sorry. Go back to your Wraith. Be safe, both of you. Watch his back like he watches yours – as becomes a personal of your status. Don't take your duty lightly."

Inhaling deeply, Tarna straightened up and opened the door. When she stepped out of the room she was once again the ruler of her small world, lively and ready to strike down the first unsuspecting idler in sight with the righteous wrath of a true leader. Kala stared after her, thoughtful for a while before she felt ready to leave.

oOo

Carrying her few belongings, Kala slowly sauntered back to her new quarters. She thoroughly enjoyed the quiet – no chores to do, no pressure – just her and her thoughts.

The gnarly, veined corridors, usually looming and restrictive, felt strangely homely and comforting today. She felt like she was wandering her mother's womb. _This must be a side-effect of the bonding_, she mused while running a gentle hand over the warm, pulsing surface of the walls. _Rees loves this ship. _

Through the chaos of alien memories, Kala distinctly felt his connection with the vessel that had given birth to him and kept him safe during the long sleep of hibernation.

His memories felt vaguely disturbing, like a single instrument playing out of tune in the orchestra of her consciousness. He was so incredibly old, and his impressions hard to grasp. And he was alien, his ideals and incentives so very different from hers. But still, when she got right down to the core of his being she unexpectedly found love – for this ship, for his Queen, his brothers, and for… She didn't dare to complete the thought.

_If he is able to love, then how can he be evil? Even though we are separated by our culture and experience, we still share so many things – the need for shelter, for company._ Kala could feel her perspective beginning to shift.

A shadow appeared around the next corner and the steady tap-tap of lithe Wraith steps announced the arrival of an officer. As had gotten to be her second nature Kala kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, to avoid eye contact so she didn't draw attention or provoke unnecessary interest. Yellow-green eyes scrutinised her underneath a delicately shaped forehead tattoo.

_Oh Mother, not him. Of all the hundreds of Wraith it has to be the commander._ The temperature in the narrow corridor dropped noticeably. _Relax,_ she ordered herself.

He was almost past her when his eyes widened and his nostrils flared. _Go, just go. Nothing here to see,_ she begged.

"You." The cold voice stopped her in her tracks.

_Crap._ She slowly turned around, tension and fear cramping her muscles.

"Promoted, are you?" he hissed, casting a glance over her necklace and new attire, lingering too long on her feeding mark. "Who is your master?"

Kala didn't know how to answer. Did he expect her to describe Rees? Greenish-pale, white hair, black coat. Very distinctive. Her first mental response was, _See? This is what you get for not having proper names._ Her second thought was, _Why does he bother to ask? He does have a nose._ And suddenly, unwanted and vivid memories flooded her mind – memories of how it came that she smelled of Rees.

"Ah, I see," he drawled, chill seeping from every word.

_Damn!_ He'd simply plucked the mental image from the top of Kala'a mind; she could feel his repugnant presence in her head. _Think of something else, quickly!_ Kala began to recite an annoying song in her head, over and over again to not give away more details about her and Rees. Alas, she feared the damage was already done.

_He can't harm me; I'm someone's property now. The bond is protected by the rules made by the Queen herself, he wouldn't dare to lay hand on me._ Even though she kept repeating that to herself she felt far from safe.

With his hands behind his back he stood there, glancing down his sharp nose at Kala, his lips curling into a sneer, as he seemed to come to a conclusion. Without warning he jumped at her, fast as lightning, right hand raised high above his head, ready to kill – just to spin around in the last second in a flurry of silver and black, to stride away with a chuckle, leaving her speechless and breathless, leaning against the wall, the bag with her belongings dropping from her numb hand.

She needed a long moment to ban the shiver from her limbs and get a grip. He had long disappeared when she was finally able to continue on her way, feeling the now familiar desperate laugher welling up. _Bye, nice to meet you too._

oOo_  
_

When Kala arrived at his – _their_ quarters she knocked at the door, but apparently Rees wasn't in. To her surprise she found the door responded to her handwave, and allowed her to enter. _This must be because of the necklace_, she realised. _Maybe there's some sort of key in it. The door mechanism recognises me as rightful inhabitant of these rooms_. The rooms that were now her new home.

Home… how strange that sounded. Her entire life she had thought of her family, her village, the lake as home. And they were still the roots of her self, would always be.

Laying the bag containing her belongings down on the desk, she slowly walked around the room, examining every knotted wall, every fleshy surface, and ran her fingers along the sparse furniture.

_It needs a woman's touch,_ she decided. _I wonder if Rees will agree to a few adjustments, to make these quarters more compatible for a human. Maybe a table and chairs, some candles for more light, perhaps even a picture or two on the walls._ Gazing out of the window, Kala asked herself if the dim lighting would sustain a flower.

_What will my everyday life look like? I will get to know his hobbies, I guess. What does he do when he's off-duty? _

That made her aware of how little she actually knew about him. Oh, she knew all about his wraithy side through the memory they had shared, but he hadn't shown her much of his day-to-day life. From experience Kala knew that the true value of a relationship would only reveal itself if it survived the everyday grind, and she assumed this was also applicable for living with a Wraith.

The characteristic slurping noise of the door mechanism made her turn to look. Rees had come in.

"I'm back," she said unnecessarily, but still wanting to get a reaction from him.

"Obviously," he replied, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "I would be disappointed – not to say highly annoyed – if my body servant let me down."

"Well, here I am, ready to welcome you to your quarters," she retorted with an impish smile. "Of course it would help if I knew how to address you."

When he didn't respond she inched closer to him. "Do you remember two days back when I asked if I could call you by a name?"

An affirmative growl was the only answer she got, and Rees eyed her with sceptical interest. "Yes, you were complaining that you had no idea what to call me other than 'Wraith'."

_You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?_ she thought, a tad annoyed. "Exactly, yes. But since it's not a very original name I wanted to ask if I could call you something else. I'm sure other worshippers have names for their Wraith, don't they?" she ventured, unsettled by his lack of enthusiasm.

"All my former worshippers used to call me 'master'," he said with a thin smile. "Why would you want to call me something else?"

_Oh no, there's absolutely no way I will call you 'master' within these walls_, she snorted to herself. _I will never call anyone 'master' who snores into my ear at night. _

"What use is a name to you?" he inquired further.

_All right, y__ou asked for it, you'll get your answer._ She knew she was taking chances now, but wasn't that always the nature of their game? "I assume you simply can't know it because no one has ever taught you the proper use of a name," she said haughtily.

Warily, he watched her coming closer, his hands twitching ever so slightly, betraying his curiosity. "And I assume you have a very good reason for this impertinent attitude of yours."

Giving him her best knowing smile, Kala slid her arms around his waist. "Names have many uses, one of the best is to whisper them into a lover's ear when he holds you tight."

"I see. I admit a name might come in handy under such circumstances. What kind of name do you have in mind?" he purred, narrowing his eyes, watchful like a tiger seizing up his potential prey. "For your own sake I hope it is nothing silly. I have heard some of the affectionate pet names human give each other and I wouldn't recommend you call me one of those."

The mere idea of calling him 'darling' or 'sweetheart' made Kala chuckle. "Well, I was thinking of calling you 'sugarbunny' but," – he raised a warning brow – "No, honestly. No, that's just not _you_." The brow sank down again.

"No," she continued. "If you don't mind I would like to call you Rees. Like your signature tag." His face remained impassive. "I think it has a nice sound, and, and –" she rambled on, trying to justify her choice, squirming under his unblinking golden gaze. "It's not silly at all, and it's short, and I like it," she ended lamely, giving him an apologetic shrug.

A deep growl rumbled in his throat, not threatening but pensive. "I need to try this out and see if it works before I can make my decision," he pondered and drew her closer into his embrace.

Grateful to have finally gotten a reaction, she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. But she wasn't prepared for his next request.

"Please do go ahead," he offered.

_You're taking me by my word, just like that? But it doesn't work this way_, she wanted to object. The situation suddenly felt absurd and Kala was unable to suppress a nervous laugh. "No, wait. It won't work as long as I have to laugh," She cleared her throat and found her composure, focusing on his smooth hair underneath her fingertips and his warm arms around her body.

"Rees," she said softly, her voice not as steady as she had intended. The word sounded stiff and silly and Kala got angry for being so foolish.

"Say it again," his rich voice resonated in her ears and in her body, enhanced by their embrace.

"Rees," she repeated, more relaxed and getting used to it. Her inhibitions began to melt away when she felt his head bending down to caress her neck with gentle lips, and as his slow hands stroked her back and hips she brought her mouth close to his ear, her voice not more than a breath, as she sighed, "Rees."

Purring softly, he continued to caress her. "Hmmm… Yes, that was convincing. You may call me Rees," he said with a smile in his voice, and Kala snuggled up to his broad chest, also smiling, enjoying the embrace a bit longer.

With a purr and a fleeting kiss he parted from her and turned away slowly. Kala noticed he took a small object out of his pocket, which he eyed as if it might explode any moment. It was a data storage device, a very common sight on the hive.

Walking to his desk, Rees activated his computer and connected the storage device; the leathery screen came alive and flashed an angry red sign in Wraith script. By now Kala knew enough to decipher the words: 'restricted access – enter password to proceed'.

From the corner of his eye Rees shot a glance at Kala. Uncertainty glinted in the golden depths, as if he was indecisive whether to let her in on the secret.

"Leave me for a while," he said.

Disappointment at being mistrusted must have shown on her face because he added, not unkind, "The less you know about this–" he motioned to the screen – "the better. This knowledge is dangerous, Kala. Another Wraith might try to scan your thoughts and you're not trained yet to shield your mind against sudden attacks."

Knowing he had a point, Kala nodded. Being sent away like this didn't go down well though, especially on her first day as his servant, and she felt like a child. _Go outside and play while the grown-ups do grown-up things, you're still too small._ Hiding a pout she left without another word.

oOo

Rees watched her go, distracted by her swaying hips for a moment. The new clothes suited her curvy built and he narrowed his eyes, purring inwardly. _And she is all mine. Every part of her, including her soul. What a delightful achievement. _

Focusing his attention back on the computer screen, he quickly cut all connections to the ship's network thus isolating his terminal. With trained ease he handled the neural interface, directing thoughts at the computer, while his swift fingers keyed in additional commands. It activated a firewall that would prevent anyone from gaining access – he had written the application himself and took pride that it seemed impenetrable – no one had hacked it yet.

A satisfactory hum confirmed the firewall had initiated, and only now he felt safe enough to enter his password to view the secret files. The data consisted of page after page of script pouring down his screen. Information about crew members and recorded transmissions crawled past Rees's eyes, and with every page he read his darkest suspicions became more solid – something was going on, something that exceeded the ordinary plots and small everyday conspiracies by far.

The Queen needed to know about this. His assistant had been right in collecting the data – the commander had to be removed immediately – not only from his post, but also from the ship. But they had to proceed with care not to alert the traitor to their intentions.

_I need to see the Queen_, Rees decided. _Now._


	24. Hunter

The little meeting had brightened his gloomy day and the commander chuckled to himself as he headed for the dart bay. He took pleasure out of scaring humans, as immature as it seemed, and the encounter with the female had been highly entertaining. On this boring and shabby ship he had to take every opportunity he could get for enjoying himself.

Not much longer though; soon he would return to his hive and be re-united with his true Queen. He would see her beloved face again, be touched by those slender hands, and maybe even be rewarded by her with the Gift of Life. Sharing his Queen's life-force was the single best thing that happened to him and he craved to be with her again. 700 years was not a long time for a Wraith – but a long time for a lonely heart.

Her eyes, the pale colour of jade, were filled with love and suppressed regret when she declared him leader of this mission. He was the best, the strongest and most resourceful of her men, and he had accepted the honour with pride even though he knew it would painfully separate him from her for many centuries.

But his work here was worth it – soon this hive would be under her control and would secure both the future of his true hive and that of his daughter Autumn – the Queen-to-be of this ship. She had only been an infant when he left; her tiny hands clutching the braids in his hair as he held her. Now, grown up under her mother's stern tutelage, she was an experienced leader, long old enough to be given her own hive.

_I only w__ish I could have seen her grow up_, he mused wistfully – a thought that haunted him every now and then. The usual mix of sorrow and sense of duty pushed it to the back of his mind, only to bring it back in the lonesome darkness of night.

Taking over the hive would be a piece of cake and he didn't expect major resistance – all his allies had taken strategic positions and were ready to strike. However, there remained a thorn in his side, one still dangerous to his mission, the Head of Intelligence.

Things were looking up though – he had stumbled upon a major weakness of his opponent sooner than he thought. What a lucky coincidence. Though he wasn't surprised by the find, he was relieved.

With this information he could blacken his enemy's name, and spread rumour throughout the hive of the unnatural sympathy the Head of Intelligence held for minor beings, especially for his pet. Subtle but effective if he chose the right distributors.

As a last resort he could abduct the female and use her for purposes ranging from blackmail to collecting proof of inappropriate feelings. Whatever he did, it would eventually lead to the exile or death of his opponent. Smiling, he reveled in the liberty to select the most delicious way to use this new weapon.

"Commander." A voice called out to him, accompanied by the telepathic signature of his Second in command, heavily layered with concern and a sense of urgency.

Turning to face his subordinate, the commander demanded brusquely, "What is it?"

His Second was now close enough for him to see tension etched in his features.

"We have evidence that sensitive data has gotten into the hands of… someone dangerous," the junior officer replied carefully.

"He who has been spying on us ever since?"

A curt nod was the only answer before his Second continued, "We tracked one of his assistants, and apparently said assistant has handed files of recorded transmissions to him. Transmissions to other hives–"

"How much do they know?" the commander interrupted.

The Second's concern was tangible in his mind. "Too much. We have taken care of the assistant but we still need to do something about his master."

Suppressing an angry hiss, the commander clenched his fists. "I will solve this situation personally. You will alert our allies."

_I must prevent him speaking to the Queen at all cost_, he thought as he strode away from the dart bay and contacted every drone within his telepathic reach, every allied crewmember to locate the Head of Intelligence. The responses were disappointing – no one had seen him or felt his presence. _Cunning vermin_, the commander cursed. _He's not taking chances and he knows his way around the ship. It'll be impossible to track him when he has shielded his mind._ Grudgingly, he had to take into account his opponent's resourcefulness.

_I'll do this one step after the other, the first logical place to search is his quarters, and proceed from there on._

oOo

Something had changed in the telepathic buzz of the ship; Rees could sense it. Nothing he could put his finger on, but a ripple of sudden alert had spread once and was hushed over. He doubted anyone else would pay much attention to it, as the cause could be anything from a failed scientific experiment to a major disagreement among rivals. In a community this big, things erupted on a daily basis.

It didn't fool him though – his highly trained senses could well discern between an ordinary engineering malfunction and a conspirancy, and right now his nerves tingled as he picked out a single order addressed to the drones led by one of the commander's allies. _Find him._

Under these circumstances it could only mean trouble. Probably they found out about his assistant. Most likely he was dead by now and Rees growled in frustration. A loyal man, died while protecting his hive. Rees shook off the fury and grief; there would be time for that later.

_They know. They will come for me._ Sudden fear quickened his pulse and heightened his senses, making him watch his surroundings closely as he accelerated. Looking nervously back over his shoulder, he hurried on, keeping close to the walls. _I have to make haste. It will not take them long to alert every drone on the ship. _

The warning _thump-thump_ of armour-clad feet approached from a nearby corner – a drone patrol. Noiselessly, he backed away, melting into the shadows of a recess. Projecting a mental image of empty space, he waited until the drone patrol had passed by. It was easy to fool a drone, nearly as easy as fooling a human, but he also knew maintaining this shield, as well as avoiding the main corridors, would slow him down.

_The sooner I get to the Queen the better._

Scanning the ceiling he found what he'd been searching for – a way that would take him to the throne room without drawing attention. Bending his knees slightly, he flexed his legs and launched himself upwards effortlessly, his long coat rippling like black wings to settle back down as he crouched upon landing in the maintenance passage.

As expected it was deserted and he felt safer up here. The narrow passages were used seldom and formed a labyrinthine structure throughout the whole ship. Even if they should search for him here, he had more than enough ways to avoid them. The ship's internal scanners wouldn't be much use either – his life sign wouldn't stand out against the hundreds of others who were on this level of the ship.

The only lighting was a dim glow filtering up from below through the entrance holes placed in irregular intervals. It was dark and he had to move slowly and carefully, so he didn't miss the next intersection and lose his way.

There was no way to alert his allies or call for reinforcements – he was on his own in this. The loss of his assistant proved his allies were watched, warning them could result in their death. And calling out for help would likely throw the whole ship into confusion, and there was no doubt the commander would exploit that, take quick actions, maybe even kill the Queen.

Before the Queen's forces had a chance to rally, it would be too late and many would die. Baring his teeth in a silent snarl, Rees cursed only sensible thing to do was to keep his head down and warn the Queen as fast as possible.

_By the time I arrive at the throne room they will have placed guards everywhere. If only I can get close enough to talk to her telepathically, _he thought while he moved noiselessly along the passage, like a ghost, as he was swallowed by the darkness.

oOo

Aimless, Kala sauntered along a gallery and looked down at the storey below where two drones guarded a door, even though nothing went on. Feeling useless and impatient, Kala considered her options. Going back to the worshippers' quarters was out of the question after she had literally fled them. Leaning against the wall, she gazed out of a small window, trying to calm her thoughts with the sight of the tranquil star-scape.

_What was that noise?_ Kala frowned and turned her head. There was nothing to be seen, she was alone. _I could have sworn I heard something. Maybe I'm imagining things._

An unsettling chill crept up her spine and made the hair on her neck stand on end. Shivering, she looked around. Something felt wrong – like a fingernail scratching on chalkboard that set each nerve jangling. Hugging herself to ward off the cold, she listened intently. Fear welled inside her, slowly crawling through her limbs. Potential danger lurked in every surrounding shadow. There could be anything hiding in there.

The fear grew ever stronger and Kala felt an irrational urge to leave, leave as fast as possible. No matter where – run, just run!

_Wait, don't run! This isn't natural_. A small voice of reason tried to get her attention. _Calm down, panic will get you nowhere._ The sensation of blind panic was vexingly familiar but she couldn't place it, couldn't think clearly.

There – another noise! Spinning around, she caught sight of a blurred movement from the corner of her eye, immaterial like a wisp of smoke – and she knew, realised when she had last felt this unnatural fright. The cull! _I'm being hunted!_

Moving in circles, she tried to locate the hunter. _Rees, if this is a practical joke it's not funny._ Could it even be Rees? Had he followed her? That wouldn't make sense, would it?

_Don't run__.__ Don't panic._ Someone was standing behind her; she felt hot breath on her neck. Slowly, as if she was balancing a tray full of dishes, she turned to see – no one.

Should she call out to whomever played this trick on her? Backing away she began to leave and bumped into something solid. A loud hiss made her spin around and she came face to face with the commander, getting an unpleasantly close view of his pointed purple teeth.

"Brave little human," he snarled. "Didn't even try to flee. Have you gotten so spoiled by your master that you don't fear Wraith anymore?"

_Crapcrapcrap. Not again! _ "Now that you mention him, my master awaits me," she managed to stutter, almost choking in effort to get the words out. "Better I don't let him wait."

As she tried to sidle away he simply stepped in front of her, blocking her way. "Your master is nowhere to be seen. I know, because I have looked for him in his quarters. Fortunately I found you, so we can wait for his return together." Emphasising the last word more than necessary he grabbed both her arms, making her gasp in shock.

_He can't do this, he can't! What shall I do?_ Eyes wide open in terror, and cursing herself for showing weakness, Kala tried to free her arms and pulled back – with no success. If anything, his grip just became stronger, his claws digging into her flesh like steel. "Let me go," she whispered. "I have done nothing wrong, neither has my master."

"Ah, finally I get a reaction," he smirked. "Fear is such a wonderful thing in a human. It makes your body tense up. Your brain and adrenal glands produce hormones, heightening your senses, making you feel _alive_ – it is such a marvellous taste." With a hungry smile he looked at her, absentmindedly licking his lips before continuing. "You have done nothing wrong, little human, this is true. Alas, your pet Wraith has been found guilty of treason. Which is why I will find him now with your help. Do not fear, human. I need you alive – for the time being."

_He's g__oing to use me as a bait!_ _Rees,_ she called out telepathically, distilling all her fear and horror into the message, hoping somehow he would be able to pick up her had no idea if he could hear her as she had no access to the telepathic network, but she had to do something, had to try. _If you hear me, please be careful. And please, please help me._

oOo

Almost there. Almost at the throne room. The Queen had to be there; her everyday schedule dictated she'd receive reports from the various leading officers of the ship's sub-areas now.

The passage narrowed and Rees had to get down on his hands and knees. This part of the ship was swarming with drone patrols and his progress was painfully slow. Every couple of minutes he had to stop and focus his mental shield in order to remain invisible. _Being hunted like prey, on my own ship – another reason to make me smile when he finally receives his punishment. _

Briefly, Rees wondered if the commander had fed the Queen wrong information, if she would even believe him when he arrived? But then, his proof was unshakeable. The commander had communicated with his original hive, long after he'd brought over the last of his so-called fellow renegades.

Rees remembered the day the commander had set foot on the ship – it was mistrust at first sight. Back then; the commander had only been a low-ranking refugee, claiming his old Queen wanted him dead. And he had offered precious information to his new hive as compensation for taking him on. With a hive weakened from battle, Rees Queen, at that time, was only too willing to welcome the newcomer and his comrades to reinforce her stricken ranks.

And the new crewmembers proved themselves worthy time and again, being as loyal and eager as any Queen could expect. Yet the mistrust never left Rees from the first day since he'd seen the true extent of cruelty in the newcomer's mind for – that one was not only a killer, but also a murderer. Every Wraith had to kill for the sake of self-preservation and defence, sometimes even for getting promoted, but killing for pleasure was a major character flaw in Rees's opinion. The commander was what humans would call 'a monster'.

Rees had made a point of avoiding the unpleasant intruder whenever possible – a mistake it now seemed. In hindsight, he should have confronted the newcomer while still vulnerable. Over the centuries the new Wraith had become much too powerful, and even though Rees kept him under observation, the commander and his bunch of collaborators had wound their way through his tightly woven net and found cunning ways to circumvent Rees's measures.

Groaning silently, Rees clenched his jaws and froze. Another drone patrol was approaching. Judging by the noise there were four of them – and one officer. Rees's eyes widened in surprise. Apparently he was growing tired – he'd nearly missed the officer and hoped he'd shielded his mind in time.

Through a narrow opening in the passage's floor he could see the patrol leader. He was a dread-locked blade, wearing a sleeveless coat. Rees recognised him as one of the commander's most loyal pilots. That one wouldn't be as easily distracted as the drones, and he was wary, obviously on the hunt.

The pilot stopped, had he sensed something? The drones halted behind their leader, motionless and waiting for orders. Rees got nervous; if the pilot looked upwards he would certainly spot him, but he couldn't move back without giving himself away. Instead he squared his shoulders and tensed up, preparing his muscles for a surprise attack if it became necessary.

Slowly swaying his head left and right, the pilot scanned his surroundings with all senses and Rees felt his mind touched. It was wearing him out and he frowned in concentration, deep lines engraved in his face. Bodily exertion would have been easier to bear – his natural regeneration abilities would have restored him, but this constant mental strain threatened to exhaust him.

Apparently the pilot had lost interest and wanted to move on; he straightened and stepped forward, motioning the drones to follow him. Rees let out the breath he'd held for so long, allowing his lungs to fill with fresh air, as he watched the drones walk along underneath him.

He reacted a second too late. It was too late when he heard the pilot bellow in his mind 'Fire!' Too late when Rees saw the drones jerk their stun guns vertical, aiming at the ceiling – at him. Too late to run away as the first blue stun bolts screamed past, sizzling on the walls around him.

A bolt hit him square in the chest and another caught his stomach as he tried to spin out of reach, numbness spread through his arms. It wasn't nearly enough to paralyse him, but sufficient for him to lose his grip for a second. Long enough to let him tumble down into the corridor below, in the midst of the drones that had stopped firing.

Hitting the ground hard, Rees cursed himself and the pilot. _Sly bastard!_ Pain seared his body from the impact; he was infuriated and helpless, writhing involuntarily on the floor like a fish out of water, muscles fighting off the last effects of the stun bolts.

"I will be promoted for catching you, I'm sure," the pilot drawled as he stood over Rees with a nasty grin on his face, aiming a stun pistol at Rees's face. They were not here to kill him – Rees was aware they would stun him so he could not alert his allies while they took him to the commander.

"You have been a nuisance for long enough, worthless spy." With an evil spark in his eyes the pilot drew back his leg and kicked. His foot hit Rees in the back, near the kidneys, and Rees gritted his teeth to bite back a pained snarl. The kick wasn't hard enough to break bones but hard enough to make a point. No doubt the pilot had orders to bring Rees to the commander in one piece.

Turning his head and forcing his eyes to focus through a haze of pain, Rees saw the kick had altered his opponent's stance – the pilot was now standing close to his feet. _Not all is lost yet_, Rees thought while the pain in his back subsided and his injuries healed. The stun pistol was still aimed at his head but if he managed to avoid the blast…

"Sleep well," the pilot sneered and pulled the trigger, causing a blue glow to erupt from the tip of the stun pistol, which grew larger and accelerated within fractions of seconds. Anticipating the shot, Rees curled up, fast as lightning, the blue glow missing him by an inch, as he entwined his legs with the feet of the surprised pilot and whirled around. The sudden rotation wrenched the legs out from under the pilot and he fell down on his back. Without wasting a second, Rees got to his feet and hurled the stun pistol from the pilot's hands before the fallen blade could recover from the shock.

The drones were clumsy and slow, unsure what to do next. Rees took advantage of the moment's confusion and lunged forward, taking hold of the pilot's head and deftly twisting the neck. A grisly crack confirmed the death of the pilot. _You will not take me to your commander_, Rees thought with grim satisfaction as he dropped the lifeless body.

The drone standing nearest had come out of his stupor and reached out for Rees, but he was already halfway down the corridor, running as fast as he could and rounding a corner. As the drones chased after him they only entered an empty hallway. From above, a pair of golden eyes in the darkness watched them thunder by.

_That was too close_. Sinking back against the wall of the maintenance passage, Rees took a moment to recover and sort through his options. He had to move on, his enemies now knew where to search. It wouldn't be long before the orphaned drones returned with reinforcements and a fresh blade.

Another frightening thought emerged from the depth of his worries. _Where is Kala? Where did she go after I sent her away? Did she go to see her friends?_ He couldn't have done anything to protect her, could he? There had been no _time_. The only thing he could do right now was banish that particular worry to the back of his consciousness and hope she went to the worshippers' quarters.

oOo

Kala had no idea where she was being led. The corridors looked unfamiliar for she hadn't been in this part of the ship yet. Her captor didn't seem inclined to talk to her anymore and she wondered if she should be glad or worried about that – glad because everything about him simply freaked her out, and worried because she had no clue what he was up to.

Deciding things couldn't get worse at the moment, she addressed the commander. "Where are you taking me?"

As if he hadn't heard her he ploughed on, dragging her as if she were a bag of flour. Digging her heels into the ground, Kala asked, loud and impatient this time, "What do you want with me?"

He stopped abruptly and Kala almost lost her balance. Rounding on her fast as a thought, he snarled right into her face, "Careful! I said I need you alive but I didn't say I need you unharmed. Don't talk to me unless spoken to." To make sure she got the message, he kept glaring at her until she jerked her head in a nervous nod.

_That__ didn't go too well._ It was frustrating to be unable to do something – anything. Once again she became aware she was but a mere object, not entitled to a free will or personality – cattle, not more.

When they resumed their walk towards an unknown, fearsome future, Kala did the only thing she could think of – she memorised the way they were going so she would find her way back once this was over, convincing herself she would still be alive by then.

Out of an adjacent corridor strode two drones, falling into step behind Kala and the commander. _He must have summoned them_, she realised. At every junction the process repeated itself, more and more drones joined them, trailing behind in a chain of armoured menace and readied stun rifles. There was a small army of them, silent and inscrutable behind their alien masks, by the time they reached a dead end and the commander stopped.

Careless and rough, he pushed Kala through an open door, before turning back to the drones, issuing commands a human could not hear, for the assembly dispersed and the drones took stations along the hallway and its entrances. No one would be able to come here unnoticed.

Kala took the opportunity to examine the room closely as long as ordering the drones about distracted the commander. Turning slowly on the spot, she carefully scanned the interior, trying to assess the chance of finding hiding places, weapons or, even better, emergency exits.

The room was fairly large; she was standing in the middle of an open space surrounded by racks and shelves, stacked with organic-looking objects she couldn't identify. Bluish tendrils spilled over the edges, next to purple tubes and other fleshy things Kala had no name for. They seemed to be growing straight out of the walls.

Startled by a distant noise, Kala listened intently. A high-pitched whine coming supposedly from behind the wall grew louder and subsided again. A dart. _I'm on the flight deck! _The strange objects had to be spare parts for the spaceships, for those times when they were so badly damaged they couldn't heal themselves. _Unlikely I will find a weapon among the thingies and even if I did, I could hardly handle a ship cannon._

Before she could investigate further, the commander walked in and gripped her shoulders, forcing her to face him. Without a word he raised his right hand, features twisted in a sneer, and Kala glared at him. She was about to wet herself with fear but she would be damned if she gave that bastard the satisfaction of letting him know. As long as he needed her alive he could dangle his feeding hand in front of her chest all he liked, she would not give in. The worst thing he could do was taking her life to the point she almost died.

_Admittedly that would be pretty unpleasant but I know that game already; I can stand that another time_, she firmly reassured herself. Of course he also had other ways to make her suffer but she didn't think he would torture her just like that – she wasn't important enough and didn't think she had earned that kind of special treatment. Besides, the tense impression on his face indicated he had more pressing matters on his mind.

Hissing, he lowered his hand and reached out for her neck. Twitching involuntarily as his clawed fingers touched her skin, she continued to glare but it left him unimpressed. He closed his fingers around her necklace and with a hefty jerk he pulled it away from her neck. The thin leather straps left a painful burning trail on her skin but she resisted the urge to yelp, drawing a strained breath instead and stepped back.

Apparently he had gotten what he wanted because he gazed at the necklace in rapt attention before backing away and focusing her with intensity, obviously bent on taking in every detail of her appearance.

The door opened to reveal a Wraith officer striding into the room. Kala recognised him with a small shock – he was the one who had refused to help Ella. _Not a friend of humans then_. He didn't even bother to look at her; she may as well have been a speck of dirt on the floor.

"Commander?" He stood to attention.

Grinning, the commander said, "Forward a message to all our search parties to distribute through the ship."

Eyeing each other they stood silent for a while and Kala would have given her right leg to hear what they were saying in their heads. Eventually the officer nodded solemnly and bowed slightly, turning and leaving the room.

_Now it's just us two again_, Kala thought desperately as the door closed and she was alone with a psychopathic, unpredictable Wraith.


	25. Point of No Return

He could feel her presence in his mind, comforting and bright, inviting like the calm centre of the storm. It grew stronger with every step Rees took towards his Queen, but still too distant to make real contact with her – and the guards slowed his progress to a near halt, a snail's pace.

Sore knees and palms added to the distraction, even though he placed them with care and avoided all the sharp or filthy places. Even so, filth seemed to have made its way into his handmouth, which he despised and it itched, burned, and drove him crazy. Teeth clenched, he crawled onwards. _If we get out of this in one piece I will introduce Kala to another duty – the care and massage of my handmouth._ For a split-second he brightened up at the prospect of having Kala take care of his well-being after this was over; thoughts of her gentle voice, the way her hands soothed, comforted him as he edged forwards. Every time he spotted a friendly face among the Wraith who hurried along beneath him, going about their business unknowingly, his frustration grew. If only he could contact his allies.

_Ironic_, he thought. _A ship teeming with Wraith but not one __can help me right now. _

Another patrol went by and the drones stopped in their tracks. Dismayed, he growled – though they were lead by a blade Rees had classified as 'not the sharpest dagger' he could not underestimate this foe.

Haughty face wrinkled in concentration, the blade stood still, closed his eyes, and Rees prepared to hide his telepathic signature when – a clear mindvoice rang in his head. Rees felt himself addressed, a floating, shifting mirror of his own mental presence called for his attention. "The commander wants you to know he has found a female human who was wandering the ship alone, and she claims to be yours. The commander wishes to return the stray servant and he insists you meet him in storeroom seven on the main flight deck in ten minutes."

Chill crept up Rees' spine as an abyss opened before him, threatening to swallow him. _No, this is a lie, a ruse for luring me out of hiding. It can't be… He cannot have Kala. _Rooted to the spot, his claws dug into the fabric of the floor, Rees waited, willing the officer to leave, but the message was not finished yet.

An image appeared before his mental eye: a Wraith hand holding a worshipper's necklace – the very necklace Rees had given Kala only that morning. The image shifted as the hand was moved and a human came into view – Kala. She looked pale and utterly shaken but she was unharmed as far as Rees could tell. No fresh feeding mark or other obvious signs of mistreatment. _No lie after all._

Frustration squeezed his throat shut, suppressing the savage growl that was building up inside, and his breath came in rapid bursts as he kept himself under control. If he didn't turn up at the rendezvous point, Rees had little doubt as to the outcome. A short message would follow about the death of the unfortunate female and no one would care. No one would remember. After all, what was one more dead human?

She was nothing; no one knew her anyway. But he did - he knew what her eyes looked like in the bright morning light, her hair smelled of flowers, and that her touch felt like silk. The narrow walls of the passage bore down on him, confined him and choked him. Time slowed again, to an impossible rate where seconds were millennia, but his thoughts raced in an endless, pointless circle with no conclusion in sight.

Features twisted in a silent snarl, Rees gazed, detached, down at his hands on the floor where his claws had left grooves in the upper layers of the living surface. Immersed in his misery, he didn't realise that he had broken two talons.

_Go to the Queen. You are almost there. If you hesitate now you will only lose time. Nothing else is important. You are immortal; your soul belongs to your hive. You will live long after she is dust between the stars. _

_Yes, but will it be worth it? Will it be worth living with the knowledge that I might have saved her, that I was responsible for her death? Will I be able to live with myself when every time I look into a mirror I see the cold remnants of a shattered heart,__ asking me 'what if'? Yes, she is but a human. Yes, attachment is foolish. But what if it happens nonetheless? Is it worth it to sacrifice the life of someone you love for the greater good?_

There it was, plain and evident. He could continue to fool others but not himself. It was true, he loved her. More than his brothers, more than his Queen. More than any other being, human or Wraith, he had met in his life. Something clicked into place, something that he hadn't even known was amiss. But like a man seeing the light of day after years of imprisonment, he felt oddly whole and at peace – the realisation was liberating, and for once doubts were gone.

_They are missing the point,_ he thought. _They have infinite lives but when do they ever feel alive? _After all these millennia Rees knew very few things excited him and the days blurred, more or less the same bar the rare occasions they met or battled another hive. Unlike other blades, he did not seek to validate his existence through ever more dangerous missions, just so he could feel alive for a few measly seconds. To be so jaded by his unlimited life span that he would only live for the thrill of the moment._ What about the small things that make life worth living?_

A memory of Kala asking, after their bonding, if he understood what it was like to be human surfaced. Annoyance had been his initial reaction – how dare she ask such a thing! But now he could acknowledge the icy knife of fear that sat in his heart. All the times he'd taken a personal worshipper, he'd never experienced such an exchange of essence – the feeding process and the mental connection never got out of control, shouldn't get out of control, not if performed by a Wraith as experienced as himself. Yet it had happened – Kala left some part of her human spirit inside him. Awe and delight had taken hold of him and he yearned for life – hunger that had nothing to do with feeding, and it had not been this strong in a long time.

Determination and certainty filled Rees. _The hive has been here before my birth, and it will remain even if I die trying to save my love. And if I succeed… Then I have served my hive the best way possible. _

Rees inhaled, filling his lungs with air until he could feel oxygen travel through his body, powering muscles, his nerves sparkling with alertness and he felt truly alive. It was lunacy, it was irresponsible, and it might be the very last thing he did but … deep down it felt right.

_No wonder humans are such passionate beings if they feel this foolish storm of emotions all the time. What is it they do in such circumstances? Ah, yes… reckless defiance and self-delusion seems to be the appropriate reaction. First I save the girl, and then I save the hive._ A smirk curled his lip. _It sounds easy enough if you break the task down into its essentials. One simple little piece at a time, suitable for a human to comprehend. _

Tense as a spring, he allowed the taut feeling in his muscles to drain, and moved forward towards the next exit. Swinging his legs over the edge of an opening, he dropped down into the corridor below, lithe as a cat. Ignoring the startled looks from the other Wraith, he straightened his coat and walked towards the nearest transporter with determination.

_Only ten minutes. The time for hide and seek is over. What I do is wrong on so many levels; the least I can do is do it in dignity, and not by crawling through dirty passages like a common thief. _

His gaze met a pair of hostile eyes. One of the commander's dogs had spotted Rees and fixed him with an icy stare. Pretending to ignore him, Rees marched on, his thoughts racing. _He will get reinforcements soon. I may only get this one chance before I get to a less populated part of the ship._

Rees scanned the Wraith hurrying past him for an unknown face. Preferably someone he'd never had dealings with – someone who would not be suspected to work with him.

An approaching young cleverman – the tone of his mind like a lively mountain stream – Creek, seemed a possible candidate, and Rees reached out to him, the younger Wraith's ignorance of the imminent dangers faced by the hive all too obvious as he moved deeper into his mind.

_Don't stop. Don't look at me. Keep moving. Go to the Queen immediately, she is in danger. The commander is a usurper. _

The younger Wraith's eyes widened for a split-second but he kept walking without losing momentum. Rees felt his own mind being touched by Creek as he imprinted the unknown mind signature – necessary detail if he was to tell the Queen who sent the message.

If he actually went to see her. It was a long shot but it was the best Rees could do under the circumstances, even if everything in him wanted to scream out.

The commander's men did not follow him on the way to the transporter. Instead they remained in the background, and watched every move and breath. _You will not stop me. I do not fear you._ As a man with a purpose he entered the transporter and the world around him dissolved in white light.

He closed his eyes to protect them from the light – he couldn't risk being blinded, even for a second. When he opened his eyes again he found himself on the main flight deck, not far from storeroom seven. He was alone.

The perfect place for a trap – the transporter nearby, the room itself a dead end and a convenient airlock nearby to get rid of unwanted bodies. Definitely not a fight Rees would pick under normal circumstances, but this situation was far from normal.

Only five minutes remained of the ultimatum and Rees burst out of the transporter, directing his feet the way that would lead him to Kala.

_I will think of something and improvise. He is far too arrogant to simply kill me on sight – his arrogance is his weakness._ Rees mouth stretched into a grim smile. _And to imagine he thinks _me_ weak. Weak because I care more for a human. To protect someone you love is no weakness, it makes us strong_, he told himself as he walked towards his nemesis.

oOo

He hadn't spoken to her and gave no indication of doing so in the foreseeable future. Instead he stood, motionless, with his back to Kala, facing the single door of the room. Not one strand of his immaculate hair was out of place and his coat curved elegantly down from his slender waist, emphasising his strong torso. He may as well be a statue carved from jade and obsidian, for all the movement he made. It was so infuriating.

_Does he really think I'm no danger to him? For all he knows I could sneak off and search for a weapon in here._ But Kala didn't fall for this delusion – he would hear her moving and there was no way she would win if she fought him.

The tips of her fingers brushed across sore skin, weals left by the leather thong of her necklace when it was ripped from her neck. Underneath the fresh burns, her neck also sported a set of tooth marks she'd acquired this morning when Rees got carried away in their moment of shared pleasure. Kala touched these marks tenderly, as if they were her most precious possession; a reassuring connection to the one who could help her, the one she loved.

_The one I love… Love… yes._ More than respect, more than friendship. The single emotion she hadn't dared to think and had been so reluctant to accept – for fear of attachment, for fear of getting rejected…

But he had proven in many subtle ways that he felt the same. In her memory she saw him smile, that familiar smug, lop-sided smile that exposed the sharp tips of his teeth, outwardly arrogant but with an undeniable spark of fondness in his golden eyes. _I love him, against all odds, against all reason. And he loves me too. _

Deep peacefulness settled over her as she acknowledged the simple truth, a beacon of hope and solace. Rees would not leave her here to die; he would do everything he could to save her. He was powerful and cunning – he would think of something. Kala tried for the moment to push aside the thought that the commander was equally powerful and cunning. _We will cross that bridge when we come to it._

An organic creak told Kala the door had opened and she looked up, stepped back involuntarily, and craned her neck to see what was happening. Disappointed, she recognised the bulky shape moving through the doorway. A drone entered, followed by a second, and then – her heartbeat stopped – Rees.

He walked casually through the door, his stance nonchalant, no betrayal of either fear or excitement on his face, not a trace. Yet Kala could see the tell-tale signs in every movement, his body an open book for her to read. He was just too casual, too relaxed, too controlled, and that scared her more.

Condescension emanated from Rees, tangible and freezing the air, and his eyes glowed with contempt as he faced the commander, completely ignoring Kala. Pain and tears stung her, until she saw reason. How could he pay attention to her, when a distraction, or a sign of weakness could be exploited?

Every fibre of her being wanted to leap at the commander, rip him and his drones to shreds, and her stomach knotted in fear, her hands clasped together till white bone showed beneath her skin. Frustrated, Kala took a step forward, chewing her lip with anxiety, but found herself menaced by the tip of a stun gun pointed in her direction.

Slowly she raised her hands. _It's okay, I get the message. So I'll just stand here and no one gets hurt, right? _Unimpressed, the drone kept his stun gun trained at her. Still the commander kept his back to her, and Kala fretted, wanted to see an expression, a look – anything! – she could interpret. _Are they talking in their heads?_

Other than the low background hum of the ship's stern engines and the distant whine of an idling dart, the only noise she heard was her own breathing. The oppressive silence thickened while the two Wraith simply stared at each other. _Maybe it's a matter of who blinks first_, Kala mused, as sudden light-headedness swept over her. If only it were that easy.

"I have come to claim my property." Though spoken softly, Rees's words tore apart the air like thunder.

"That you have," the commander replied with an icy drawl. "I knew you wouldn't risk the life of your toy, not even for your own hive. I was right from the beginning – it does addle your sense of duty." He chuckled. "How fortunate for me."

Rees clasped his hands behind his back, still caught in the glaring competition when he spoke once more. "Let her go. You have no right to keep her here. This has nothing to do with her."

The commander gave an angry hiss and Kala saw his hands twitch. "I have no right? This has nothing to do with her? Why, pray, do I have no right? I am your commander and she is but a human – I can do whatever I want with her."

A furious snarl came from Rees' throat, his expression feral. "You can _not_ do what you want with her. If you touch her you will break hive law." As he took a step forward, each stun rifle tracked his movement.

Holding up a hand, the commander motioned for the drones to hold fire. Kala's heart beat so hard she thought it would burst out of her ribcage while Rees continued. "She is mine and the bond is protected by the Queen's rules."

"Your Queen, not mine," the commander snapped. "My Queen would never allow fraternising with food. But your Queen will be history soon."

Rees snorted in amusement, the cool smile on his lips never reaching his eyes. "Now we get to the true reason why we are here, gathered in a cold, uncomfortable storeroom, slinking like hyenas round a dying animal." His eyes followed the commander who had begun to pace around Rees with measured steps. "You planned this from the start, I assume."

"The change will do this hive good – our Queen-in-waiting is young and strong," he hissed, and ignored the accusation, dismissing it with a casual flick of his hand. "When she takes over she will bring a new order to this heap of flying junk that stinks of humans." He spat the word like it was an obnoxious profanity "Your Queen is weak – she never attempted to join an alliance or take control of other hives. What good she has done this hive with her policy of failed independence? Instead of attracting young and able blades and clevermen, she populates this ship with humans and her own feeble, worthless offspring."

Such politics were beyond Kala, and what did she care for them anyway, but from the look in Rees eyes, she could tell he commander had hit the mark, that his remarks were poisonous. She never wanted to experience the rage she could see tremble beneath Rees deadly stillness; it frightened her more than she could say. Right now he reminded her of a tiger, biding its time, waiting for just the right moment to charge and kill.

Rees growled, fire blazing in his cat eyes. "All the time I thought you were just an ambitious fool. Only now do I realise you are actually a pretentious, ambitious fool. Do you really think this hive will fall under your control this easily? You may have tricked me for a while but not long enough to succeed."

The commander paused, a sneer on his face. "You are bluffing. There is nothing you can do to prevent me from taking control. You couldn't have known of our plans early enough – I saw to it you were too occupied to pay attention, and your minions were not fast enough. Yes…" A grin crossed his face, an echo of the pure hatred on Rees's face. "You have no idea how much I enjoyed your pathetic attempts to find the enemy facility, and it's a terrible shame, really, you didn't chose exile on your own accord. You could have spared yourself all of this." A wave of his feeding hand encompassed the entire area.

Rees' hands flexed, clawing at thin air. "Oh, I see… very clever. You fed wrong information to my spy – used my own network against me." Kala saw that the tricks the commander had used dawned on Rees, and she clenched her own hands in agony.

Chortling softly, the commander shrugged; a precise and elegant motion of his shoulders.

"It was just a bait. A game to keep you out of the way. Oh, the facility does exist – in fact, it belongs to my hive. Your informant knew that so he had to die before you had the time to put two and two together."

"He was one of my best spies. I should kill you, if only for his sake and the hard work I put into training him." Rees took another step forward and again, the drones adjusted their aim, muzzles pointing at his face and chest. "You are telling me all this for a reason."

"But of course. You have been a source of constant annoyance to me and stood between me and my plans far too long. First I want you to watch the downfall of your ideals. Turning his back to Rees, the commander shot Kala a look of malicious glee. "Harmonic coexistence of Wraith and worshipper? It's a fairy tale, invented by weak minds. Worshippers are nothing special, they're just mindless food that has learned not to squeal when we touch it."

In helpless terror, she watched him come closer; saw how he raised his feeding hand in slow emphasis, feeding slit gaping. Kala backed away as far as she could, until the edge of a low shelf stopped her.

_Don't panic! Don't panic!_ All she wanted was to squeeze her eyes shut and cower on the floor but she resisted the urge; she had to stay alert, had to look out for a chance to flee. _Is it really going to end now?_ Rees wouldn't let him kill her. He would do something, wouldn't he?

With a triumphant hiss and a mad gleam in his cold eyes, the commander brought his hand down on Kala'a chest, making her scream in panic. The answering roar of intense rage from Rees drowned out her voice – like all fury of the world distilled in a single sound. Her vision filled with darkness and then, all hell broke loose around her.

The harsh sound of sirens filled the air, making Kala jump. The commander jerked his hand away from her, his eyes wide in shock. _Now._ Kala leapt aside on the spur of the moment, tripping, falling down on her knees. Hastily, she scrambled forward, frantic on all fours, not looking behind her. Fear clogged her throat – fear that any second she would feel a steel-like claw on her ankle, dragging her back, but she made it to the inviting safety of a shadowy recess behind a shelf.

Panting heavily, she crawled deep into the shadows, pressing her back against the wall and peered out into utter chaos. The drones had begun to fire at the walls and shelves; sending the blue glow of stray stun bolts crackling over every surface, the staccato of their shots mingling with the blaring sirens. In their midst, the commander stood, spinning in circles on the spot, his eyes searching restlessly, searching…

Rees was gone. Everything had happened so fast – much too fast for a human eye to follow, but Kala recalled seeing a flash of movement that might have been Rees, throwing himself to the floor and somersaulting out of reach as the drones started firing.

_He lives. He's hiding._ Her heart skipped a beat in relief and joy. _He must have known this would happen._ Moving with caution to not make any noise, Kala looked around for him, searching for a telltale darker patch of shadow in the gloom. She almost missed him; he was perched high on top of a rack, hidden from view behind a plate of armoured ship skin, his long coat melting into the darkness. He sat motionless and tensed up, a deadly shadow, ready to pounce, his golden eyes and a few strands of silver the only discernible features in the gloom.

oOo

Up. Again. Nothing prepared Rees for this day and the many times he had to use his climbing skills, and he wished he'd taken more time to work out at the gym. For a moment, he thought he wouldn't make it. The stun bolts missed him by a whisker but just one had made it through to hit his neck and impair his breathing. Dark stars danced before his eyes and he fought to stay conscious, drawing breath after strained breath, gasps covered by the racket sirens and stun guns. At least he didn't have to worry about Kala at the moment; she had reacted instantly and was out of sight. _Good girl._

An angry roar halted the drones. The commander spread his arms and they stopped firing.

"Go," he bellowed in their minds, so loud even Rees could hear it. "Help the others, I will deal with this alone. Make haste!"

Rees wished he knew what was going on but all he got were confused, cut-off impressions on the mental network. Creek must have reached the Queen and relayed his message. At least, Ress hoped he had because that would mean there was some underlying order to the chaos. _I hope I did not make a terrible mistake, sending the ship into turmoil._

Plunged into silence after the drones left, the room was deathly still, apart from the shrill sound of the siren. No telepathic signature, no glimpse of movement – the commander had slunk down the rows of shelves and was out of sight. _I have to keep moving or he will find me sooner or later._ It all boiled down to who was the better hunter.

The dark, dancing spots clouding his vision disappeared one by one as his body got rid of the paralyzing charges of the stun bolt, and his breathing slowed to normality. Weakness shook his limbs, forced him to admit the stun had hastened the need to feed, and sapped what remaining strength he had.

_Add to that, the drones searched and disarmed me_, Rees thought bitterly. The only weapons he had left were his mind and body. _Someone will come down here sooner or later, to search for me or the usurper – if I get lucky the search party will be on my side._

Inching along his perch, he tried to locate his hunter but the commander was far too experienced to give away his position. The looming forest of racks, populated by indiscernible shapes, was silent, and it was far too simple to hide behind an assembly of dart canopy frames or the dark, tangled mess of organic cables. His opponent would be on the move – the commander was running out of time and flight was not an option he would consider. Not if he returned to his hive with empty hands.

The bulky shape of a dart engine emerged from the gloom and Rees carefully climbed around it, his nerves jangling every time his coat snagged and he bared his teeth in irritation. Impractical as it was for climbing, he couldn't afford to remove the coat now.

Sudden silence rang in his ears. _Who has switched off the sirens? And why? Who has won? What is going on outside?_ Confusion and unanswered questions still tangled the telepathic network – and to make things worse, the Queen's mind signature was gone. Rees couldn't tell if she'd chosen this to remain hidden, or if – fear clutched at him – she had been mortally wounded, or killed? Without her presence, it seemed the hive had lost its soul.

He didn't have the time to contemplate longer – a familiar whooshing and whispering noise filled the silence around him, rising up from below and moving along the racks with inhuman speed as immaterial shadows raced past his shelf in a wisp of smoke. And suddenly his mind felt cold, so deadly cold and alone in the dark… _What is he up to? _Shaking his head in annoyance, Rees shifted his mental focus and the apparitions became unperceivable to him. Neither them nor the sense of terror they invoked could touch him if he used his natural defences, so what was the commander playing at?

_He can't really think these tricks work on me, as if I was some weak-minded fool or a human… A human! _Realisation struck with the merciless force of a punch in the stomach. _The bastard is casting shadows to drive Kala out of hiding!_

The phantoms chased around the room, creeping into every nook and cranny, hunting for their prey as if they possessed a mind of their own. Wild fear in his eyes, Rees looked out for any sign of Kala but she remained unseen – until Rees finally spotted her. She was cowering in the shadows behind a stack of energy cells; her eyes squeezed shut and her hands firmly clamped over her ears. She trembled visibly but didn't move from the spot. It was such a pitiful sight; he wanted to protect her from the fear.

_Brave human, keep it up, just a little longer. Don't panic. _Although Rees knew his soothing thoughts couldn't reach Kala, he willed her to stay clam. _When this is over and we're back somewhere quiet and saf__e, I will teach you how to shield your mind and you will never be afraid of shadows again. _

A loud Wraith roar echoed off the walls – the commander had given up and howled his frustration into the world. "I will find you, you cannot hide forever!"

Rees felt safe enough to answer, equally loud. "Neither can you. And you are alone while I am not, so the odds are against you. Surrender now and I will not kill you." There was no chance the commander would accept the offer but he had to keep him talking – to distract and find him.

Unpleasant laughter drifted up to Rees. "You are not referring to your toy human, are you? A thing so scared that I can smell its fear? It's not even male. There is no way it will be able to help you."

_No point in letting him provoke me,_ Rees thought, unimpressed. Instead, he moved noiselessly to the edge of the shelf and looked down. Four metres to the floor, time to get moving. Dropping down, he hit the ground and quickly sought shelter behind a pillar, making sure his opponent couldn't spot him, wherever he was.

"She is not an 'it'," he growled into the darkness while moving along the shelves on stealthy feet. _Keep on moving and listening, moving and listening… He is somewhere here, could be lurking around the next corner._ The tension became painful as he strained his ears in an attempt to hear the commander, as if he could perceive his opponent even before he spoke.

The shelves and racks that provided shelter for him became oppressive and hostile and his eyes played tricks on him. He saw things at the edge of his vision that weren't there. Purple organic tubes dangled in his way, like climbing plants on an exotic planet, ready to choke him if he wasn't careful, and he brushed them aside impatiently.

Another bark of condescending laughter answered, distorted by the echoes. "A human. What's so precious about that creature anyway?" The commander's voice had a malicious edge as he continued. "It must be very hard for someone like you – never getting a chance to be invited to a Queen's bed. Living without a woman for thousands of years. I know your kind – cowardly and worthless, never taking risks, never proceeding in life. You will have told yourself in some twisted parody of honour that it is for the hive's greater good to stay here and serve – because you didn't want to leave the safety of your birth-hive. You will have told yourself you don't need a female. You are not worthy to be called a blade."

His steel-cold words were cutting deep into Rees's soul with the single-minded purpose to cause as much damage as possible, and Rees tried hard to resist, to not take this seriously. The words were nothing but an attempt to provoke but even though he tried to control his emotions, fury cast a red veil before his eyes, and threatened to overwhelm him. Instinct told him to attack, to claw the life out of that scum in mindless, frantic battle-rage. _Don't give in. Don't play his game. You can only prevail if you are strong. Control is the true strength of a blade. _

When he replied, his voice was steady and clear. "Most of us never share a Queen's bed. It is nothing of relevance."

Movement! To his left, a shadow, more solid than the surrounding gloom, crept along the opposite side of his shelf, the distinct shape of a stun gun protruding from it. Rees bared his teeth in silent triumph, calculating how long it would take to round the shelf and sneak up on the commander from behind.

"Oh, but the strongest do. The strongest and best, like me. And I disagree – it is of relevance, otherwise you wouldn't have succumbed to temptation… would have been satisfied with the affections your brothers can offer." The commander's voice echoed through the room again.

_Ramble on_, Rees thought. _The more you get lost in your self-righteous ranting, the better. _A vague shape moved at the far end of the shelf as he rounded the corner – he finally had an advantage! Unaware he was being followed, the commander continued his tirade, his voice no longer a sneer but becoming more enraged, tinged with madness.

"Although I won't blame you for bedding a human. It can be comfortable to lose yourself in its embrace – no obligation, no emotional involvement, no consequences, just cheap release. You, however, have perverted ideas about a – a _relationship_ with such a creature!

You are chasing a dream. You delude yourself in thinking this creature could be your equal – the woman you yearn for. But she is not. Her body is frail. If you were to take her for real, you would kill her in the act. And even though she has a limited talent for telepathy, her feeble mind is nothing compared to a Queen, who sears your mind with the fire of passion and wipes out your consciousness."

The acidic words hit home. Deep down, Rees knew he had a point and a treacherous, hollow feeling crept into his heart. _You know it's not meant to be – a Wraith and a human_, a guilty voice whispered in the cold emptiness.

_Perhaps, but it is the road I have chosen, and I will follow it to the end, _he told himself. _No looking back. Reason and common sense may be on his side but that doesn't give him the right to condemn my way of life. And the bastard is wrong about an essential point – what I feel for Kala is no __self-delusion but real and tangible. It is true I cannot compare it against the love of a Queen – maybe it _would_ be more intense – but such __thoughts are futile. Right now, at this moment, Kala is the one I love. _He almost pitied the commander since apparently he couldn't comprehend this concept.

The vague shape resolved into details as he approached his enemy. He could almost touch him. Dust coated the commander's coat and his hair, at other times painstakingly groomed and sleek, looked dishevelled and matted. With slow determination, Rees approached his prey who seemed completely unaware of the danger. This was almost too easy – only a few metres more and he would end the commander's suffering.

His unsuspecting opponent, not in the least startled by the fact that the conversation had turned into a monologue, snarled on. "You know I am right. I can sense your doubts, yes. You need not be afraid though."

_Almost there_… Silent and lethal, Rees emerged from the shadows behind the commander, hands raised and claws flexing in anticipation of the surprise attack. The fever of the hunt throbbed in his veins and heightened his senses. _Just another step closer and a swift move… _

"Your failing will end soon. Very soon, in fact," The commander's voice suddenly dropped to a low hiss. "Traitor." Too fast for the eye to follow, he whirled around to snarl into Rees's face and lashed out with his hand, a dagger in his closed fist. Instinct saved Rees, as his reflexes kicked into action and he sidestepped the attack in a flurry of motion – he could feel the draught and hear the faint whirring of the blade as the dagger sliced through the air where his throat had been a split-second ago.

_He used himself as bait! And I, idiot that I am fell for it!_ Rees snarled his anger at the commander who grinned, ready to strike. His arm angled at chest level before his body, dagger pointing at Rees, the commander slowly advanced. A stun gun was still in his left hand though he made no attempt to fire it, but Rees was certain the commander would use it soon. A ploy to distract him, the dagger glinted, light bouncing from its sleek surface.

"Did you really think catching me would be easy?" Demons flickered in the depths of the commander's eyes as he came closer. The subdued lighting filtered through the racks to plunge him into alternating light and darkness as Rees was forced to back off.

"Well, it was worth a try – after all your incredible hubris has blinded you before," Rees retorted, drawing the corner of his mouth into a lop-sided smirk. A sneer answered his taunt, as the commander continued his advance, slow, but unstoppable, an avalanche of hatred. Sweat ran down his back and glued the heavy coat uncomfortably to his body, every movement clumsy from the weight of leather pressing against his skin.

The dagger jerked forwards at his chest while at the same time, the stun gun shot upwards and released a blue flash. Relying again on his instincts to save him, Rees ducked, avoiding the stun bolt by an inch, and dived sideways under the commander's outstretched left arm. _No, you won't!_

Before the commander had time to take aim, Rees's kicked hard at the hand holding the stun gun. With a satisfying crack his foot impacted with the commander, making the surprised man yelp in pain and caused the stun gun to fly up into the air. It described a wide arc and landed some ten metres away with a clatter. _Yes! Let's see if we can even out the chances, _Rees arched his back and flexed his muscles to jump back on his feet.

Though he had no time to revel in his small victory – his opponent rounded on him with a furious hiss, silvery strands of hair and coat tails trailing behind, leaving ghostly impressions in the air where the light hit him.

In slow motion, Rees took in the intricate detailed ornaments engraved on the dagger; flashes of light glinted in mocking beauty on its deadly edge as it sang past his ear. He was caught in a fatal choreography; a dance unleashing velocity and sheer force. Reflexes honed by centuries of training took control of his body and made him twist out of reach in the blink of an eye as the commander made another attempt to stab him.

A fierce staccato of thrusts and kicks rained down on him; the commander fought like a demon, and forced Rees on the defensive. In efficient, precise movements, the commander drove him backwards until his back came hard up against the wall. Unyielding knotty surface behind him, trapped, his eyes darted to and fro, searching for a way out as his opponent brought the dagger round with a gleeful roar. But in his enthusiasm, the commander calculated wrong – his strike got too wide, his momentum far too high and Rees spotted his moment to escape.

Leaning rapidly to the left, he let the blade run into thin air – then right as the dagger returned in a predictable trajectory. A frustrated growl sounded in his ears as he ducked and somersaulted to the left, then got to his feet in one fluid movement. Spinning on the spot, he grabbed the commander from behind, wrapping one arm tightly around his enemy's throat.

Just when he brought his second arm up to deliver a deadly twist to the commander's neck, his opponent bent forward and grabbed Rees's shoulders in a steel grip. Before he could react, the world turned upside down as he was thrown onto the ground. Air rushed from his lungs, and Rees lay, stunned, unable to do more than gasp.

He looked up into the contorted features of the commander who was thrusting the dagger down, aiming at Rees's heart. In a frantic attempt to avoid the blade, Rees rolled sideways and felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Spears of pain shot out in all directions and Rees curled up before his fighting reflexes kicked in and he re-assessed the situation.

The commander bore down on him with an expression of delighted insanity, the dagger poised to kill. In a desperate move his hand shot out and grabbed the commander's foot firmly, pulling hard and leaving the rest to gravity. With a grunt, the commander crashed down, landing on top of Rees and knocked the air out of him for a second time. Seizing the opportunity while the other tried to get back his bearing, Rees grappled his enemy's knife arm and banged it hard on the floor until the hand holding the dagger opened. The weapon fell away, clattered out of reach.

Throwing himself on his belly, Rees ignored the pain that grew stronger as he crawled towards the dagger. The wound wasn't healing as it should, and a siren went off in Rees head, one he could not pay attention to.

Sparks erupted in his vision before he could reach the weapon, as an elbow impacted with his skull. The commander had recovered too quickly from his shock and now struggled to reach the dagger first, punching and kicking without aim as he went.

Suddenly the pain Rees had tried to ignore, exploded in a paralysing outburst and he roared in shock. His enemy had got a lucky hit and a quick glance confirmed Rees's darkest fears – it still hadn't sealed and he was losing a steady stream of blood. Adrenaline, fuelled by his need rushed through him like a tide, but even so, Rees knew it would only be a matter of time before his body gave up. _No time for that, keep going…_

Something moving at the edge of his vision got his attention as he was wrestling the commander – Kala had come out of her hiding place. Pale and shaking, she peered out from behind a shelf, her hand gripping the frame tightly. Her knuckles were white with tension, as if she was holding on for dear life. Deep creases of worry disfigured her forehead and her eyes were wide, gleaming with fear. Her mouth was slightly open, lips quivering, whispering something. _No…_

_Don't give me up yet, little human_, _there is still some fight left in me. _He threw himself forward and caught the commander in the back, delivering a hefty strike to his opponent's kidneys. With a howl, the commander fell down and Rees clambered on, his eyes fixed firmly on the dagger – Oh, so invitingly close now! Only a few more inches…

Extending his arm, he made to pick up the weapon when… agony exploded in his side, and he felt the commander's talons dig viciously into his side. Blind with pain, he hit his head on a half-disassembled dart engine and tumbled against the framework of a shelf only to find himself eye to eye with the commander. Numb, Rees felt blood trickle down his forehead, too weak to defend himself against another attack, or the feeding hand that slammed onto his chest. Rees's eyes snapped open.

Not even the thick leather of his coat, not even his tough skin, could resist the acidic juices that dissolved everything that stood between the feeding membrane and its victim. Enzyme flooded his veins, strengthening him at first while his sparse remaining energy left in a stream of white-hot pain.

In an enormous effort, Rees lifted up his arm and tried to pry the commander's hand away but as his life force fled, the commander grew stronger. Though his opponent had closed his mind to him, Rees could still feel an overwhelming sense of triumph.

_Not… much… time… left… _Glancing around through eyes that seemed to lose their focus fast, Rees tried to find Kala but she was nowhere to be seen. _No… I would have liked… to see her…_ His vision blurred and his thoughts slowed, hovering above a dark abyss.

Hearing a dull thud, he dimly realised his own hand had fallen down from the commander's and his fingertips brushed against something hard and cold on the floor… Hard and cold… with an edge. If only he could think clearly; once upon a time he would have known what that meant, but the fog of pain grew thicker, making it impossible to concentrate.

_Dagger…_ A spark ignited inside his head. _Dagger… _Slowly, carefully closing his feeble fingers around the hilt, he prepared for what could be his last movement. Milky fog clouded his eyes and the commander was only a vague outline but if he used his last remaining resources he could find his target. Drawing a rattling breath, he steeled himself and jerked his hand up with all the pitiful speed he had, slashing a red gap across the commander's throat.

Hot blood spurted like a fountain, and the commander let out a desperate telepathic yell. Life seemed to leave Rees's body even faster as the wounded man tried to heal his throat. It was a race neither of them could win – the injury was mortal and Rees's remaining life force wouldn't be enough.

_I will at least take you with me,_ Rees thought with strange serenity. But then, everything changed. A fierce yell rang in his ears. It was tinged with the unyielding courage of someone driven over the edge. Kala stood over them, holding a heavy dart cannon like a club. Wild strands of hair flying, she looked terrifying, like a Wraith Queen fighting for her life. Nightmares of fury and fear flared in her eyes as she brought the cannon down in a wide arc. It hit the commander and knocked him over, sending him to the floor in a loud crash and flailing of limbs.

The last seconds of his enemy's life intruded into Rees' mind, overwhelming in their intensity. He couldn't shield himself against the haunting images of a smiling Queen with gentle eyes, and her infant daughter – no, _their_ daughter – tiny hands clutching his fingers… Longing so strong it made his heart ache… Regret… And a sudden intense blaze of terror and despair fading away into the darkness – he was gone. The commander was dead.

But his legacy of memories lived on, and against his will, Rees felt a spark of sympathy. The victory of having killed his enemy turned to ashes in the bitter aftermath of the fight. _Not long and I will follow…_

Lost in misery and pain, Rees dimly heard Kala sob. Quietly at first, then coming in loud ragged gasps, her voice was a piercing lament, grieving for every soul lost and suffering._ How very fitting…_

Straining his weary eyes, he saw her slump down on her knees, the thud of the dropping dart cannon echoing like thunder, a harsh counterpoint to her wailing. Tears streamed down her face as she crawled towards Rees, reaching out for him… over the abyss that seemed to deepen even as he focused on her trembling hand.

Agony stirred in Rees' broken body as he tried to move, and the pain in his side flared to life again. _Tired… so tired… Must not… sleep… _But the pull of the abyss was strong and once more his eyes glazed over as darkness fell and his head rolled sideways. _So tempting to give in…_

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
_

_One more chapter to go..._

_Thank you, all my loyal readers who have supported me and waited so patiently for this chapter. I hope I did not disappoint you._


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